Watch out Damon  your emotions are showing
by DoodeSeriously
Summary: Things are heating up in Mystic Falls. Will Damon be able to hide his true feelings from Elena? What will Elena do? What will happen between them if emotions starts running high? Smut, romance, blood sharing
1. Chapter 1

**EDIT: Read below. If any comments from the first chapter are lost in the process, I do apologize. I just wanted to edit the fact that this is no longer a one shot.**

**This chapter started off as a one shot, but since I received sooo many emails and comments to continue this story, I decided to add a few more chapters to it. **

**This is my version of events that I'd really like to happen in episode2x12 and onwards.**

**Spoilers from 2x12 trailer – and a lot of smut in following chapters…. You have been warned :)**

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'Rose is out for the count', Damon said, with furrowed brow and a clenched jaw. He looked a bit disheveled in comparison to his usually kempt look.

Elena followed his movements as he grabbed his jacket from the back of the sofa she was sitting on. They were in the library of the boarding house after another sleepless night following the attack on Rose.

'Are you leaving now?'

'Yea, got some business to finish off in town.'

Elena didn't like the sound of that, it had an ominous feel to it, but she said nothing. Sometimes it was better not to ask when it came to Damon. She looked up towards the second floor where Rose was, tucked under the covers in Damon's bed.

The bite from the wolf had turned into quite an alarming wound, and the fever that Rose had caught had rendered her nearly unconscious.

'Don't worry, Elena. Rose won't be able to do anything right now. She's fast asleep. Just give her some blood when she wakes up. I've stocked the fridge in the cellar. I'll be back before you know it.'

Damon gave Elena a knowing look.

'I wouldn't leave her alone with you if I thought she was any danger to you.'

Elena nodded slowly.

'It's ok. Try to get back soon though. Just in case.'

Damon left her sitting on the sofa, trying to keep herself occupied while babysitting Damon's girlfriend. She let out an uncomfortable sigh. Was Rose really Damon's girlfriend now?

The way Damon had cared for Rose the last couple of days was so out of character it had made Elena a bit uneasy around him. Even Stefan had had a hard time trying to understand his brother's actions as well, since it wasn't really in his nature to care for anyone but himself. They were so used to seeing Damon's selfish and callous attitude, that observing him tending to Rose's every need had been somewhat of a heartbreaking experience for Elena.

Damon had been in the library for hours trying to go through any and every of the books that had been brought from Isobel's office at Duke. He'd called Alaric over to get help from Isobel's assistant, Vanessa. She had found a few bits of information, but not enough for it to be of any help to Rose.

In his desperation, Damon had even begged Bonnie for any spells that could help, but so far, nothing had come up.

Stefan had left early in the morning to go to Bonnie's with Caroline. They were going to try to scour the Grimoir for any clues they could get to an antidote for Rose. Elena was in awe with her friends, that they all pulled together to help Damon, someone who had hurt them all in more ways than one, on several different occasions. Even Bonnie, who hated Damon with a vengeance.

All for Rose – and none of them even really knew her.

But somehow Damon seemed to bring out the protective side in everyone. There was something so profoundly vulnerable in him, vulnerability that he usually only showed Elena, which had now extended to all of her friends as well. It astonished her to no end.

Elena was still pondering this when she heard a sound from upstairs. She stood up and walked down to the cellar where the brothers kept their stash of blood. She grabbed on bag, but changed her mind and took out another one before she closed the lid of the huge icebox and started upstairs.

Rose was trying to sit up as Elena entered the doors to Damon's bedroom. She had never been in his room before and she was a bit surprised at the neatness of it. He wasn't a very material person, she noticed, unlike his brother, who kept a clutter of memories in every corner of his bedroom.

Damon's room was dark and sultry, just like his personality, with smoky black furniture in heavy oak. There were few items scattered around, only a couple of books on a small table in the far corner, next to a well worn armchair. The whole room wore a trace of his scent. Elena tried her hardest not to take any notice of the stirring in the pit of her stomach at the thought of Damon in this room.

Deep purple drapes hung heavy in front of the windows in an attempt to protect Rose from any daylight. The room was clad in darkness, except for a bedside lamp that cast a soft glow on the pale vampire struggling to get into a sitting position in Damon's king size bed.

Elena hastily walked over to Rose and dropped the bags onto the black cotton sheets, before she grabbed Rose's arms and carefully lay her back down against the huge pillows.

'You shouldn't try to move too much, Rose. You need your rest. Damon is trying to find a cure for you and you need to keep well for him.'

Rose started saying something, but was stopped by a terrifying cough that shook her small frame. She lay back against the pillows again and closed her eyes.

'My throat is burning up, Elena', she said in a hoarse voice after the coughing attack had subsided.

Elena turned back to the blood bags and pinched one open with a short straw and held it up to Rose's lips. After only a few sips it was obvious that Rose was too weak to drink.

'You should try to get some more sleep, keep your strength. Damon should be back at any moment now.' Elena glanced over at the clock on the far wall, next to the door; Damon had been gone for well over an hour, and she was getting a bit anxious.

Rose opened her eyes slightly.

'Why are you here?' she murmured between ragged breaths. 'You don't even like me.'

Elena shook her head.

'Don't speak, Rose. Just try to sleep.'

'You're here because of him.' It was a statement, not a question. And no name was needed; they both knew who Rose was referring to.

'He's my friend.'

'I thought he'd lost all rights to be your friend?'

Rose started coughing again, but held her hand up when Elena tried to reach for her.

'Please, don't come too close. I smell the fresh blood in you; I wouldn't want to accidently hurt you.' Rose managed a small smile. 'Damon would kill me.'

Elena moved back a bit, but didn't leave the bedside. She had promised Damon to take care of Rose until he came back, and she wouldn't break another promise she had made him.

'Do you need any more blood?' she asked, trying to get out of this line of questioning that she didn't have any answers to. The whole situation made her feel very uncomfortable.

But Rose wasn't finished on the subject.

'No, I just need you to tell me the truth. When I die, will you make sure Damon is ok?' Rose's green eyes locked onto Elena's. 'Will you promise? He's not as strong as you might think. He's hurting a lot. And you're the closest thing to humanity he's got. If you let him go, when I die, he won't make it.'

There was sincerity in Rose's voice that cut deep into Elena. She didn't know what to say. The situation that they all found themselves in at the moment kind of took away the drama of who's being friends with who. They all had to stick together against Klaus and the Originals, or else they would all be dead. And since Damon had ruined the chance Elena had offering her life to Klaus, and with making the deal with Elijah… she had to protect them all somehow. Damon included. He was the brother of the person she loved. So that meant that Damon was family too, weather she liked him or not.

'I know you have feelings for Damon too', Rose said matter of factly, her eyes still on Elena's face. At this statement Elena started shaking her head in protest.

'I care about Damon, but I love Stefan.'

Rose was quiet for a short while. Then she lifted her hand to touch Elena's. Just one short touch, but so poignant.

'It's ok, you know, to love them both.'

Elena said nothing. She didn't want to start an argument with a dying vampire. Let alone a vampire dating the subject at hand.

'You're in love with Damon, aren't you?' she asked Rose instead.

Rose shook her head weakly.

'There is no love between Damon and me. We find comfort in each other because of the love we've both lost. We understand each other.' Rose closed her eyes again. 'Besides, Damon's heart already belongs with someone else. And it has for a long time.'

Elena nodded in understanding.

'I know. Katherine really messed him up.'

Rose started laughing. It was a dry cough of laughter.

'Elena, don't you get it? He gave his heart to you a long time ago. Katherine only tried to take it from him, she controlled him. But he never gave her anything, except time wasted.'

Rose turned her head away from Elena.

'I need some rest. All this talking is making me tired.'

Elena sat next to Rose for a long while after she had fallen asleep. There were so many thought s running through her head at the same time.

What made Rose think that Elena had any feelings for Damon? What made her think that Elena could stop Damon falling over the edge if he didn't want to be saved? He had shown her times again that he thought of no one but himself.

She stopped right there with her thoughts dwindling in her head. Did he not care for Rose? Wasn't he spending every waking moment trying to save her?

Damon was such an intricate being; there was no end to the depth of him. And the thought frightened Elena. And somewhere inside of her she could feel a new sort of excitement at this person Damon was slowly turning into. She had always thought him as shallow and cold, and here she still was, trying to figure him out.

Without trying to make a sound Elena walked out of Damon's room and headed to the kitchen. She made herself a cup of coffee and tried to reach Damon but it went straight to voice mail.

She flicked channels for an hour or so. To pass a bit more time, she went into the library. The brother's had really saved up on some books over the years. She was looking at a few of the titles to see if anything took her fancy. A few classics drew her attention, but she put them all back on the shelves.

There were no family photos anywhere, she knew that. But it also saddened her. The history of The Salvatore's was richer than she could even imagine. She had tried to ask Stefan about it on so many different occasions, but he was very reluctant to share his heritage with her. She always thought that with her knowledge of who they really were, he would start opening up, but he never had, and it annoyed her to no end.

Yet again, she tried to get a hold of Damon. Still no answer and she was starting to worry. He was such a danger to himself sometimes. He always went in head first. Her bet was that he was looking for Jules, the werewolf taking a chunk out of Rose. And Jules wasn't anything like Mason Lockwood. Jules was dangerous even when she wasn't in her other form.

Giving up after trying Damon's cell three times, she called Stefan up to see how they were doing. He picked up after the first ring.

'Are you ok?' he asked quickly. Somehow it annoyed her that he worried so much. It was a bit suffocating at times, as if she couldn't be trusted to take care of herself.

'I'm ok. Rose is fast asleep and Damon has gone out for a while. I just wanted to know how things are going for you. Getting closer to a spell that might work?'

'No, sorry. Since there aren't any spells against or for werewolves in the Grimoir we're at a dead end right now. But Bonnie is looking into some different options. She's thinking of asking Luka, her friend, to help. But that would mean letting him in on who we are, and I don't know if that's such a great idea. And I know for a fact that Damon wouldn't think so, and you know what his reaction would be. So, we're still searching.'

Before Elena could answer she could hear a small noise coming from upstairs.

'Look, I gotta go. Love you.'

Stefan was quiet for just a second.

'What's going on?'

'Rose is awake again. I'm gonna give her some blood. She's really weak though, I don't know how long she'll last. Stefan, I'm worried. And I'm worried about Damon. If something happens to her…'

'Just be careful, Elena', Stefan warned. 'We'll do everything we can.'

They hung up and Elena walked back upstairs and into Damon's room. The bed was empty. Elena looked around. She even had a look on the far side of the bed in case Rose had managed to fall to the floor and hurt herself, but she wasn't in Damon's room at all.

Elena walked over to the en suite bathroom and peaked inside, but there was no sign of Rose in there either. As she turned back around to walk out she noticed the bags of blood ripped to pieces and emptied.

Elena's heart sped up a little. She wasn't really comfortable with this situation. She called Damon's cell again. But still no answer.

She tried to sneak down the stairs, keeping an eye out around her, but there was no visible sign of her. It was still light outside, so she knew that Rose wouldn't have tried to walk off anywhere.

As she got downstairs she noticed that the door to the cellar was wide open.

Ever so slowly Elena inched her way down. She knew where she would find Rose and she tried to calm herself down by thinking that Rose was hungry and didn't want to worry Elena. But it rang false in her own ears and she held on to her cell tightly.

Again, she pressed speed dial for last called number, and with the phone to her ear she rounded the corner to the room which held the fridge. The sight that met her shocked her to the degree that she nearly dropped the phone to the floor.

Rose was sitting in a pile of blood with empty bags scattered around her. Her face was covered with the dark fluid and the predatory stare she gave Elena chilled her to the bone.

Elena started backing away slowly and turned around with a speed that surprised her as she ran up the stairs. All she could think of was that she needed to get outside.

She didn't see anything but could feel the draft as Rose sped past her and blocked the front door. Memories of Stefan and Damon warning her about the fact that vampires were all predators, living for the hunt even more than the actual kill, were loud echoes in her head.

Elena held her hands up, one still gripping the cell phone, towards Rose and carefully started backing away from her.

'Rose, it's me, Elena.' She pleaded with a killer who had its victim in sight. She knew that there wasn't much she could say to take Rose out of the instinct to hunt her down.

Pure evil emanated from Rose.

'You mean nothing to me', she hissed at Elena and hunched down before vamping out fully.

Elena turned and pounded up the stairs. She couldn't hear Rose behind her at first, until she heard a chilling giggle from the bottom of the stairs.

'You can run but you can't hide.' Elena's blood turned to ice as she ran into Stefan's room and slammed the door shut and locked it. She ran over to the windows to open all of the curtains. She was thanking all the gods that Stefan lived on the sunny side of the boarding house.

The pounding on the door grew stronger and stronger. Elena knew that the door would break down at any minute. She threw her cell on Stefan's bed and desperately looked around for any kind of weapon to use against the raging mad vampire on the other side of the door.

She saw the wooden chair next to Stefan's desk and silently hoped that this wasn't some sort of family heirloom. It looked old, but was really hard to break. She had to lay it down on the floor and repeatedly stomp on one of the legs until it finally broke, just in time for Rose to break through the door.

Rose's eyes were filled with a crazy sheen of excitement as she focused solely on Elena.

To Elena everything moved in slow motion. The room seemed to shrink in size with blurry edges around it. She started backing away towards the balcony and the large windows.

She knew that Rose wasn't stupid enough to walk straight into the sunlight, but she felt a small comfort in knowing that Rose wouldn't be able to get hold of her there either. Her heart was pounding hard and she was out of breath, not just from running up the stairs but she was terrified out of her wits.

Damon was nowhere to be found. Stefan wouldn't be back for hours. And Elena only had, what, another half hour until the sun would settle behind the woods. And Rose was a vampire used to waiting. She was patient.

True, she looked like she had lost her senses, but Rose was smart and she was a hunter with the skills. There was no way out. Nowhere to go. She knew it. Elena knew it.

Rose stared at her intently and moved closer, inch by inch as the shadows were cast further and further in the room.

'Please, Rose. Don't do this. Please.' Elena knew that this was the time to start begging for her life. Tears of frustration began to run along her cheeks. 'You don't want to do this.'

Rose laughed, and chills ran down Elena's spine.

'Oh, but I do.'

Elena stumbled slightly.

' I'm Elena. Your friend.'

She held the wooden leg out in front of her as a stake. Rose's eyes flickered towards it for only a second before focusing on Elena yet again.

'You're food. Easy as that.'

A cloud passed in front of the sun and Rose threw herself over Elena, dragging her into the corner of Stefan's room. Fangs bared and saliva flying around her open mouth that were inches from Elena's bare neck.

Everything that happened after was in a blur.

A huge crash and a dark growl came to the left of her. Roses' hands let go of Elena as quickly as she had grabbed her.

Dazed, Elena looked behind her from where she was lying on the floor. She could see Damon crouched over Rose with his right hand around her neck. In his left he held a stake as long as his forearm. Rose hissed at him and tried to get away from him, but his grip on her was like iron.

Dark veins started protruding on his face and his fangs elongated as Rose tried to break free from him. Elena suddenly remembered that Rose held hundreds of years on Damon, and she should be stronger than him. But maybe the werewolf bite made her weaker. Elena's brain was trying to grasp what was happening as Damon let out a feral growl. Rose was actually on the verge of breaking loose from his grip.

Elena started scrambling away from them further into the corner of the room. Damon scared her even more than Rose ever had. There was something so lethal about his whole being, her body started shaking violently, and as in a dream she could see him lift his stake above his head and run it through Rose's heart in one swift movement.

He hovered over Rose's body for a moment before his attention turned on Elena. His fangs were still out and his stare was cold and frightening. Slowly his features softened and he de-vamped.

Damon backed away from Rose with his hands held out in front of him. His eyes never left Elena's for even a moment as he little by little made his way closer to her.

'Elena', he said softly. 'I won't touch you, but I need to know if she hurt you.'

Elena barely managed to shake her head. Her eyes kept flickering towards Rose's dead body.

'Ok, Elena. I'm going to ask you to get out of here now. Just… go to my room and wait for me there.'

Damon stood up really slowly, letting Elena follow his every movement.

She nodded and tried to stand up. Damon reached out for her. At first she flinched, but she let him lead her across the hall to his room, where he sat her down on the bed.

She could hear him rummaging around Stefan's room. The noise slowly made its way towards the stairs and outside.

Elena tried to understand her own reaction. Elijah had tried to kill her. Trevor had tried to feed from her. She'd been threatened by Katherine and ambushed by strange vampires on several occasions. But she had never reacted as badly as she had seeing Damon vamp out.

There were footsteps in the hallway. Damon was on his way back. Elena wondered to herself what he had done about Rose's body. Had he buried her now? In the woods probably.

Damon walked into the room with an angry frown on his face.

'What did you do to her, Elena? She had been nothing but nice to you. She was dying and you had to go and antagonize her.' His eyes were blue fire on ice. They held her prisoner as her head tried to process what he was saying.

Did he think she had done something to Rose?

Damon took a step closer to the bed where Elena was sitting.

'Answer me. What did you do to her? Rose is dead, and don't you dare tell me you had nothing to do with it.'

His anger startled Elena, but not for long. He had left her with a vampire who was clearly not sane. She was suddenly furious with the whole situation. If Damon hadn't left her alone with Rose, none of this would have happened. And as Damon grabbed hold of her upper arms and lifted her off the bed, she could feel herself shaking with anger.

'You left me alone with her, Damon!' She shouted at him. Her hands were clenched to fists at her sides. Her pulse was throbbing so hard she could hardly breathe. 'And how dare you accuse me of hurting her or angering her. I gave her blood as you told me to and I let her sleep. All of a sudden she attacked me. How dare _you_?'

She started fighting his tight grip on her arms, but he refused to let go. She pressed her hands against his chest but he just held her closer to him. His hold on her arms was bruising her, but she barely noticed. Her frustration made her struggle harder. Her heart was hammering in her chest and her breathing was jagged.

'Let go of me, Damon!'

'No.' Damon's voice was cold and relentless. 'I'm not letting you go.'

Tears of anger threatened to show and for the first time she felt a twinge of fear.

'Damon, please. You're hurting me.' His grip didn't loosen and he kept pressing her against his chest. 'Let me go.'

'No.' His voice had gone quiet all of a sudden. It was a sigh against her temple.

She continued pushing her hands against him for a few more minutes, tiring herself out and without her knowing, his arms were around her in a tight embrace. Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she buried her face against his shirt.

'You left me with her', she whispered.

'I know', he said softly. 'I'm sorry.'

She shook her head and looked up at him.

'So am I.'

She managed to get one of her arms free from within his hold to gently put her hand against his neck. Their eyes locked and for a moment time stood still.

Elena felt Damon's warm breath against her face. His eyes shone under heavy lids and his mouth was only inches from her lips. All she had to do was stand on her toes for them to touch. She licked her lips expectantly and his eyes followed the movement.

'Elena,' he whispered against her mouth. 'What are we doing?'

She inhaled shakily, not moving an inch. 'I don't know.'

Her heart stopped a beat and his lips were crashing down on hers in an instance. He leaned in as close as he could, tasting her. The sweetness of her mouth, the salt of her tears. He was forcing himself into her arms, but she had her hand locked against his neck, pulling him closer, keeping him steady. Her other hand was feeling its way around his back, grabbing hold of his shirt to hold herself up.

Kissing her was like coming up for air after being trapped under water. This was what Damon had been wishing for, longing for and dreaming about for such a long time.

He would never let her go now.

Their kiss deepened. His tongue massaged her while his hands buried themselves in her hair, pressing her hard against him. His thoughts were a tangle of confusion. Elena was in his arms, kissing him, forcing her tight body against his like there was no tomorrow. And maybe there wasn't. Sliding one hand down over her pert bottom, he thought, well screw it, if there's no tomorrow…

In response, Elena lifted her leg up and wrapped it around his waist. Damon let out a sigh of exasperation. He slowly moved his hand from her ass to grab her leg to hold it in place. He could feel the warmth of her core against his hardness and it nearly drove him crazy just thinking about how close he was. If he couldn't get her naked soon he'd go out of his mind.

He grabbed her other leg and held on to her as they stumbled over to the bed and he laid her down softly and hovered over her on his elbows. Their breath ragged and their lips sore from their rough kisses.

Damon trailed his tongue along the base of Elena's neck up to her soft earlobe which he grazed with his blunt teeth. She let out a sigh that grabbed him by the balls. He could feel the arousal all the way down to his toes. Even if he didn't need to breathe there was a tightness in his chest as her eyes locked onto his.

'If we do this, Elena. No regrets'. He could barely recognize his own voice. trace

She nodded.

Damon shook his head, nuzzling her bottom lip. 'No. You need to say it out loud. I need to hear you say it.' He continued kissing a trail along her jaw and down her neck, following her sumptuous vein that sang to him like a siren call.

Her breathing increased as he bit down lightly where the soft skin of her neck met her shoulder.

Her small hands sneaked under his shirt and traced the waist of his jeans. He pressed himself harder against her as she reached for the front of his jeans and unbuttoned the top button.

'Ah, Elena…' he sighed trying to get a grip on himself. 'You need to say it.'

She closed in on him and whispered in his ear.

'Damon, I promise. No regrets.'

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**Reviews are always welcome :)**

**Songs used:**

**All the right moves - One Republic**

**I hate everything about you - Three Days Grace**

**Paradise Circus - Massive Attack**


	2. Chapter 2

**First: I do not own The Vampire Diaries. I do not own any of the characters. This is written for pure pleasure - no other benefits!**

**Ok, this here is my sincere apology to all of you that have written to my inbox and/or left a comment about a continuance. **

**I was a tease as some of you said, and I apologize *huge grin* But I'm also happy that you all seemed to like it enough to want more.**

**So, I sat down yesterday after work and plodded along. And I'm not sorry I did, because I love writing Damon. He's just so adorable. **

**And Ian Somerhalder - don't even get me started.**

** I fininshed in the middle of the night and got a friend of mine to go through the story with me this morning**

**since I wanted it published ASAP for your benefit!**

**So here it is: Damon - watch out your emotions are showing - The Sequel. (Lots of smut! Be warned!) **

**;D  
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'Damon, I promise. No regrets.'

Damon groaned slightly and rubbed himself against Elena.

'You drive me crazy, you know that?' he smirked, gazing longingly at her lips. 'I think I might just have to kiss you again. And never stop.'

Elena squirmed underneath him with a small laugh. 'OK, but first take your clothes off.' Her words exploded in his head like fireworks, crackling under his skin. He sizzled. There were no other words for it. He was burning up, and she did nothing but fuel his fire. She said it like it was the most natural thing in the world, like it meant nothing. But it meant everything to him.

Damon sat up on his heels and ripped the shirt off in one swift move. No room for romantic notions or long foreplay's; their lust was too strong, too imminent. And Damon's focus was on Elena and Elena only, and the fact that he needed to have her; he needed to take her right now.

Elena giggled as she tried to squeeze out of her jeans. Damon was sitting on top of her legs so she had no room to move. 'I can't believe we're actually doing this.'

In a flash Damon was perched above her again on straight arms. The look he gave her was deadly. 'There's no chance in hell I'll let you go back on your word, Elena.' He tore her cardigan open with one hand and pushed it aside. Leaning down he tongued and sucked on her nipples through the sheer fabric of her camisole. Her nipples hardened against the dampness of his mouth. He bit down a little to tease her further and she threw her head back with a low moan.

Damon inched Elena's top up bit by bit, using his mouth to lift the thin material to reveal her pert breasts. There weren't many girls he knew that could get by not wearing a bra as well as Elena. She was pure perfection.

He rolled back on his heals again to free her from her cami and jeans. She was virtually naked, wearing only her white panties with a thin lace lining around the edges. She looked so young and innocent, her olive skin dark and supple against the light cotton. His eyes feasted on her, and he slowly let his hands trace her ankles, running his fingers gently up her legs, grazing the backs of her knees. She sighed and arched her back as he reached her thighs.

His hard on was straining viciously against his jeans, aching to push himself inside of Elena and be enfolded by her heat. He had to free himself so in one quick move he removed the rest of his clothing. Elena had an amused look on her face the whole time, but her gaze took his body in lovingly and she seemed to appreciate what she saw.

He slowly moved into position between Elena's thighs again, smiling as she stared at him and his throbbing cock. Their eyes met and held contact as Damon continued where he'd left off; sliding his hands ever so gently in small circular motions along Elena's legs. Soft moans and sighs came from her parted lips as his hands inched higher and higher. He took his good time with this. The view he had of Elena right now was something he wanted to watch and keep as a memory forever. She was so beautiful, laid out on the bed, just for him.

Elena parted her legs a fraction as Damon's thumbs caressed the insides of her thighs. He slowly moved towards the junction where her innermost heat lay. He could see that her pants were damp with arousal, he could smell her desire and he leaned down and kissed her nub through the damp fabric. Elena's eyelids fluttered and she moaned as she raised her hips to meet his mouth.

Damon could feel yearning sharp as a sword's edge through his body at the sound of her excitement. His tongue lapped her slowly through the thin cotton.

Elena grabbed his hair with her hands and tried to force his head up.

'Please, Damon. You need to stop.' Her voice was hoarse and her breathing came in short bursts.

He chuckled against her heat, knowing that the vibrations of his voice would get her closer to the edge. 'Not a chance, angel, I've got you right where I want you. Never gonna let you go now.' As if to make her understand how serious he was, he grabbed her hips with his hands and pulled her closer to his face. He used his thumb to push her pants to one side so his tongue could slide along her wet slit.

Elena bit her bottom lip to stifle another loud moan as she pulled harder on his hair to push him away from her.

'You don't understand.'

Her legs trembled slightly as his tongue moved up towards her clit. 'Oh my god, Damon', she cried. Elena's body started shaking and she stopped pushing him away from her and pressed him harder against her wetness instead.

Damon kept teasing her clit with his tongue and slipped two fingers inside her warm folds. He let his fingers in and out ever so slowly as orgasm hit her full on. Her moans were loud and sexy and his cock twitched of anticipation at the sound of her. He let his tongue slide inside of her as the tremors subsided. The taste of her was like a piece of heaven. She was delicious and he couldn't seem to get enough.

She let his hair go abruptly and grabbed him by the ears to pull him up towards her. Her face was serious and her eyebrows furrowed. He felt a bit confused by this, until he could see the hint of a smile on her lips.

'Don't ever do that to me again, Mr. Salvatore.' She stopped him talking by pressing her finger against his mouth. 'I came way too quickly. I wanted to wait you out.'

At this he smirked.

Elena brought him down to her lips before he could give her an answer and his breath was caught as he felt her hand around his cock. She slowly started stroking it up and down while sucking on his bottom lip.

'If you don't remove my underwear and take me right now, I might have to get up and let you satisfy yourself – alone', she whispered against his mouth.

Elena didn't have to ask him twice. Within seconds she was naked underneath him, legs spread open for him to take her. He skimmed his hands over her soft belly and grabbed her hips before leaning over her. His right hand tilted her hips up a bit and he gently pressed his hard on against her core. Their eyes were locked, faces only inches from each other. If there was a way to make love with just looking into each others eyes, this would have been it. There were waves of electricity running in between their bodies, fusing them together. Elena's eyes were on fire and her mouth slightly parted.

Damon let the tip of his cock inch its way just past Elena's opening and she inhaled sharply. He stayed there for a minute not knowing if he had the composure to continue. She wasn't the only one ready to explode just by the mere touch of the other.

Elena tried to move her hips upwards but he had her locked in a tight grip. She grinned at him and pressed on, grabbing large chunks of the bedding in her hands in an effort to get him to fill her all the way up. His eyes called out a warning to her, a warning she swiftly ignored.

'Don't', he moaned quietly. She gave him a mischievous grin and let go of the sheets and grabbed his neck instead as her legs wrapped around his waist.

He had to let go of her hips to steady them, and with that he filled her up to the hilt. She gasped as she felt the full size of him inside of her. Damon tried to stay still for a moment so she could get used to him, but when she started rolling her hips against his he gave up on keeping calm and collected.

Damon grabbed hold of the back of her neck with one hand and her leg with the other. They ground their bodies together, crashing them into each other as if they were trying to merge into one. Their eyes never left the other; brown earth on blue fire. Two souls burning as one.

Her eyes were still keeping him mesmerized. Their bodies moving in unison. He kept the length of him rubbing up against her clit, and as she was already worked up from before he was slowly building her up to another orgasm. Her breath came out jagged and he slithered against her sweaty body. Elena's scent was hypnotizing and she was inching him closer to release every time her hips met his.

Elena could feel Damon closing in, his cock seemingly growing in size inside of her. She tilted her head to the side, exposing the intricate pattern of blue veins in her neck.

She closed her eyes and let out a sigh of pleasure as she heard his sharp inhale of breath when he realized what she wanted him to do.

'No regrets, Damon. Remember.' she whispered as his fangs broke her skin.

* * *

**The way you guys took this one shot on is amazing. And I don't know if I'm breaking any writer's rules by making another chapter to it... Please feel free to let me know. Also, this got me thinking that maybe I could continue this story...if there are possibilities, but will probably go under another name, so no rules are broken. **

**Let me know your thoughts! :)**

**Songs used:**

**Don't let go - Deepfield**

**The only hope for me is you - MCR**

**Pretty Girl - Sugarcult**


	3. Chapter 3

**You are all so awesome and lovely to me! Thank you ever so much for all reviews and pm's. **

**I would also like to thank you all for the story/fave/author alerts. :D**

**I'm sorry, but you've all inspired me so much that I can't seem to stop writing now. Aaaaargh...**

**In this story I'd like to try not to lose too much of the characters true feelings and reactions. Please feel free to tell me if you think I've let any of them down.**

**Again, thank you for making me continue this story. I feel it's so worth it!**

**Love,**

**Vic x**

* * *

Damon lay on his stomach, sated beyond comprehension. Elena, now resting behind him with one leg draped over his back while absently twirling the fine hair on his neck between her fingers, had mentally drained him. His body was yearning for more of her, but his head was empty and he nearly purred of contentment. They had been at it for hours, trying to find more ways than one to satisfy each other.

Only when Elena smilingly had complained about getting a bit sore had they stopped. Just holding her had been more than enough for Damon. She felt so perfect in his arms, nuzzled up in the crook of his arm. Her skin was so soft and she smelled fantastic. She giggled softly every time his hands reached out for her, but he couldn't keep hem to himself when she was lying there, naked and beautiful, for him to touch.

They'd talked about all and everything, except the reason that had brought them here. But it felt right to him not to go over it. Rose was gone. She had been a great companion, and he would never forget that it was she who had led him to where he was right now.

It was starting to get late, and the room was laden in darkness except for a few candles scattered around the room. Elena breathed in a deep sigh and sat up, stretching out like a kitten. Damon turned around, arms resting behind his head, to look at her. He smiled, while letting his eyes greedily scan her naked body. His body tingled slightly at the thought that she was finally his.

'I should go', she said and started scooting off the bed.

Damon grabbed her arm and sat up. She looked back at him with a startled expression.

'Where are you going?' he asked, a bit annoyed that she was leaving him. He'd been fantasizing about cuddling up to her warm body all night and waking up next to her, maybe having some lazy morning sex. 'And more to the point; _why_ are you going?'

She gave him perturbed look.

'You know why. I can't stay here, Damon. When Stefan gets back…'

She didn't need to finish her sentence. He let go of her arm and stood up, searching for his jeans and put them on with jerky movements. Stefan, it was always about Stefan.

His hands went up to his forehead and he pressed his fingers to his temples in exasperation as he looked back at Elena. She was still sitting on the bed, but had covered herself a little with one of the sheets. Then he pointed at her with the whole of his hand.

'Are you seriously gonna to leave? After what has happened between us. For _Stefan_?' He turned around again and started pacing. 'You gotta be kidding me, Elena. What did you think happened here? Did you think I'm just gonna let you go?'

Elena opened her mouth, but no words came out. The look on Damon's face was more than palpable. She could feel it through her limbs, her heart aching for him. She was hurting him, in a way that was worse than before. This is what Rose had specifically asked her not to do, but she was doing it anyway.

She couldn't hurt Stefan as well. Not like this.

'Damon, I can't do this to Stefan. You need to understand…'

Damon cut her off.

'Yea, I understand. You used me tonight, for your own benefit. Screw the dumb ass big brother. It's just Damon, he won't care.'

He stopped pacing and stared at her with cold eyes. Elena shrunk back in the bed a little.

'You know what, you're right. You should leave. This person…' He looked her up and down with a sneer on his face. 'This person I'll gladly let my brother keep.'

The room was silent for a long moment. They were both staring each other down. Elena was the first to drop her gaze. She bowed her head slightly and got up, wrapping the sheet around her protectively.

'It's not like you've got something to hide from me, Elena.' Damon said in a snarky tone. 'I've seen it all, tasted it all. Hell, I've even penetrated every cavity on your body, save for a few.'

Elena flinched back at the way he spoke about what had meant something special to her.

'Oh, don't look at me like that', he chided, hands up in an excusing manner. 'You're the prude, not me.' He turned his back on her as she started gathering her clothes and then she headed for the bathroom. She knew he just said it to hurt her and that he didn't mean it. But it still made her heart twitch. And there were tears in the back of her throat threatening to show.

'You better hurry up and get out before poor Stefan comes back to notice what his big bad brother has done to him', he stated coldly before he headed down the stairs to the library to poor himself a stiff one. It was only as he'd left the room that Elena realized that she might actually care more about him than she'd let herself think before.

Elena took a moment to look at herself in the large mirror hanging above the sink in Damon's huge bathroom, before she headed towards the walk in shower. It had a shower muzzle with at least six different massage settings and large tiles on the floor that were warm from the under floor heating system. She let out a deep sigh and switched the water on. She might as well use the shower here. She could smell Damon all over her skin, and the last thing she wanted was to bump into Stefan when leaving the boarding house, smelling of sex and his brother.

The hot water poured down her body, slowly massaging away the tension in her neck and shoulders. The heat started to clear her head. What was she doing? What had she done to Damon? And Stefan? What kind of person was she; she knew that she loved Stefan, but Damon? Did this mean that she loved him too?

Elena had told herself that it was the fear that made her do what she did. But was it really? –Yes, she had thought she was going to die. She had thought that Damon might die too. But she could have stopped it all after the first kiss, and yet, she hadn't. She had actually spurred him on, making it happen.

She could feel hot tears burning her eyes, but she wouldn't let herself cry, not for selfish reasons like this. Reaching for the soap she promised herself to make it up to Damon, and to Stefan. How had she let herself become the person she loathed most in this world; Katherine?

When she walked downstairs there was no sign of Damon. She didn't go looking for him either, but instead scurried outside to her car as the deceptive liar she knew she was.

She kept checking her rearview mirror on the way back to the house. At first she didn't understand why, but it dawned on her that she was looking for Damon, hoping that he would come after her.

Why? Why would she want that? It had been one night of passion, nothing more. She might not be in a relationship with Stefan; he was still waiting for her to come around after the kidnapping of her. She had told Stefan that she had wanted to wait until it was all over; the Originals, Katherine, the werewolves in Mystic Falls.

Then why would she run into the arms of Damon? It really freaked her out. There was something about him. Something about the way he had cared so selflessly about Rose.

She put the breaks down abruptly, nearly stopping the car in the middle of the road.

Rose.

She covered her mouth with her hand as a small gasp came out.

What had she done? Really?

She looked in the rearview mirror again and slowly put the car in park by the side of the road and picked up her phone.

Her hands shook slightly as she dialed Damon's number.

At first she thought he wouldn't answer, but then she heard a slight click as he picked up.

'What do you want?' His voice was cold as ice. 'Stefan's not here and no, I'm not gonna tell him.'

Elena closed her eyes as hurt made her body shudder.

'Damon…' she whispered.

'Don't. Don't tell me you're sorry, so help me God. You said no regrets, so don't even go there. Don't make me into the bad guy, Elena. This here, is all on you.' His words were shards of glass straight into her heart.

'You knew where I stood before you got into bed with me. You knew what would happen. When you left tonight you made the decision for both of us.'

'Damon, can we please just talk about this. I just need to… think this through.'

Damon's laugh was as cold as the words that followed.

'Just the fact that you need to think things through, is answer enough for me.'

'Please, Damon.'

The line was quiet for such a long time that Elena thought he'd hung up on her. She glanced down on the phone, the line was still open. Eventually she heard him sigh.

'OK. Where do you want to meet?'

'I'll be home in a minute, so meet me there?' Stefan had stopped coming around uninvited after they'd broken up, to give her the space she needed, and it was late, so he'd just call her up if he wanted to speak to her.

'Fine,' he said and hung up.

Elena was sitting with the cell next to her ear for another moment before she came to life again and drove back home.

As she walked through the door she could see Alaric and her aunt Jenna sitting in the living room watching some old black and white re-runs. She only stayed there with them long enough for Jenna not to think anything wrong with her going up to her room. It was still only around nine pm, and she usually stayed downstairs until later, unless she had company.

She peaked in Jeremy's room before she ducked into her own; he was sitting by his desk with his head phones plugged in probably listening to some weird house techno stuff that she'd never get.

Damon was standing in front of her window looking out in the garden as she walked in. Even though she knew he would be there when she got in, she still jumped slightly at the sight of him. Her heart started beating faster and she tried to tell herself that it was because of the surprise factor. But the heat emanating from between her thighs said something else completely. She tried to ignore her raising pulse and she was hoping that he would too.

He didn't turn around as she closed the door behind her. His back was stiff and his shoulders slightly raised in a protective stance.

'You wanted to talk, so talk', was all he said.

At first she didn't move from the corner she was standing in, but she started walking towards him, eyes not leaving his back. His hair was still damp from a shower and he smelled slightly fragrant from aftershave. She couldn't help breathing him in, trying really hard not to act on the impulse to just run up to him and force him to want her again.

'I'm sorry', she started.' About Rose', she quickly added as his shoulders stiffened even more. 'I never would have thought that could happen. She was so tired all day; I let her sleep and all of a sudden she was on top of me. She'd fed so much blood from the cellar. And it was like she didn't even know me.'

Damon turned around and faced her. He didn't move to come closer to her, but his eyes followed her every motion. She kept walking until she was close enough to touch him if she wanted.

And she wanted to. She was burning to touch him, to hold him. To soothe him. But she knew he wouldn't let her.

'So, I guess all I want to say is I'm sorry for what happened to Rose.'

He looked taken aback for a second, and then a frown reached his face.

'You asked me to come over to tell me that? You could have told me that over the phone. Elena, really.' He turned towards the window again. 'You can do better than that.'

'What do you want me to say, Damon? That we should keep seeing each other behind Stefan's back? Is that what you want?'

Before she knew it, Damon had pinned her against the wall, his hands bruising her arms and his face so close to hers their mouths were brushing against each other.

'You think _that_ is what I want?' His voice trembled and the words came out a whisper. Elena closed her eyes to shut out the hurt she could see plainly written on his face.

Of course that wasn't what he wanted. She knew that, but the words came out wrong. His fingers were digging themselves into her skin, but she said nothing. She actually welcomed the pain, she savored it.

She could feel his lips caressing her cheek and following her jaw line towards her neck. His breath was hot against her skin and she shivered as he carefully kissed the bite mark she'd hidden under the neck of her top.

Damon let go of her right arm and traced her body with his hand starting on the outside of her chest. Her breath caught as his thumb skimmed her already hard nipple. He didn't stop there, but continued to her waist where he followed her arm down to her hand. He gently interlocked their fingers and held her in place. His mouth was still hovering above her neck, his nose brushing her soft skin, breathing her in.

'_This_ is what I want', he whispered, leaving a trail of kisses along her jaw to stop at her mouth. They stood there for what felt like forever. Their mouths just barely touching, their eyes locked. Elena didn't realize she had stopped breathing until she felt dizzy. The room was charged with their longing. None of them made a single move to leave. They just kept still, their bodies pressed against each other.

'Tell me if you want me to stop', Damon said eventually, in a low voice.

Elena had to swallow before she answered, not sure her voice would hold.

'No.'

* * *

**Reviews are always appreciated :)**

**I don't know where this story will end. There is still the fact that Elena doesn't really want to confess her feelings for Damon. She still loves Stefan, but in what way? And will Damon be able to wait it out. Or will he do what he does best - head on in without thought about the consequences?  
**

**Songs used:**

**Hurricane - 30 Seconds to Mars**

**Love the way you lie Part 2 - Eminem ft Rhianna**

**Where ever you will go - The Calling (I knooow... hahah but it so set the mood...)**

**Obsession - Sky Ferreira **


	4. Chapter 4

**Ok. As usual - I do not own The Vampire Diaries (but don't I just wish!) and I don't know any of the characters.**

**You guys are awesome with your reviews! I had no idea that Elena could stir up so many emotions - and I'm loving it! I find her a bit docile at times on the TV show, so very happy that she gets your blood boiling. She's being quite a b*tch - I agree. :)  
**

**And I'm so in love with all of you. You recite my words as well. WOW! Thank you so much, that to me is such a great compliment. xxx**

**And again, thank you for all of the story/favorite/author alerts I've received, and pm's. I treasure them all!**

**Will stop talking now:**

* * *

The room was charged with their longing. None of them made a single move to leave. They just kept still, their bodies pressed against each other.

'Tell me if you want me to stop', Damon said eventually, in a low voice.

Elena had to swallow before she answered, not sure her voice would hold.

'No.'

Damon let his tongue trace her slightly parted mouth. It was pure electricity that passed between them at this point. He had to steady Elena with his body and he held her up by their entwined hands. Elena closed her eyes with a shaky sigh.

He was still keeping her other arm in an iron grip, so she couldn't reach out to touch him, like she was yearning to, and by the time he let her arm go to cup her breast she couldn't remember what it was she had wanted to do with it in the first place.

'Do you want me to stop doing this?' Damon asked, teasing her nipple through the material of her top with his thumb. Elena shook her head no, knowing that her voice would break. He smiled against her mouth before he took it in possession. The kiss he gave her was furious and breathtaking. He bit down on her lip, drawing blood, but she didn't mind. She actually wanted him to, she needed him to. And she could hear his breath catch as her tongue slid into his mouth as a response.

His hand left her breast and found its way between her thighs. Elena automatically parted for him. The relief was acute, near painful and she let out a sigh of gratification.

Damon was rubbing her slowly and he chuckled while still kissing her.

'Would you want me to stop this?' He unzipped her jeans and slid his hand inside feeling her wet and ready for him. He stopped for a second when he noticed her lack of underwear, but quickly resumed a grip on himself as he gently started caressing her clit. He moved away from her mouth, gently letting his tongue trace her neck down to the bite he'd given her earlier that night. He kissed it and licked it slowly before looking at her from under heavy lids.

Their eyes met and he easily slipped one finger inside of her. Elena let out a gasp and grabbed his arms as Damon nearly lifted her from the floor. She could feel his hard on against her thigh when he pressed himself closer to her, it made another rush of heat go through her body and land between her legs with a satisfied sigh.

'So, I'm quite sure you don't want me to stop doing this? He smiled ruefully as his finger glided in and out of her. She shook her head, biting her lip not to moan out loud. His finger was stroking against her sweet spot while the back of his hand gently rubbed her clit, making the room spin and her eyes nearly roll to the back of her head.

'Damon', she exhaled, trying to gain control over herself, but he was relentless. He let another finger slip inside of her to caress her quivering insides and she rolled her hips against his hand in a steady motion. Damon rubbed himself against her and she was dying to feel him inside of her. He sucked her bottom lip and then let his tongue slowly massage hers as he kissed her. She tried to grab hold of his neck to keep him there.

It happened so fast, she wasn't prepared at all, so she nearly fell forward as he stepped back and let her go.

'Good, remember that next time you see me', Damon said, leaving her panting against the wall. 'And to think that I didn't even need to compel you to get you to admit it.'

The smirk on his face ignited a pure red eyed fury in her and she tried to reach out to slap him, but his reflexes were faster than hers, and that annoyed her even more. He had the decency to back away from her a bit though.

'Get out!' she nearly shouted at him. 'Get out and leave me alone.'

He laughed quietly before his features turned serious. Within seconds he had her against the wall again, arms above her head in an iron tight grip.

'You know you want me, you just admitted as much' he whispered against her mouth and pressed his hard on against her burning heat. He kissed her slowly and chuckled as she tried to bite his lips.

'Now it's your turn to come after me.' His eyes turned bitter. 'I've been chasing you long enough.'

Before she could say anything he was gone. The only trace of him was the curtains slowly stirring, that, and the fact that she was turned on beyond belief.

* * *

Damon had to sit in his car for a while to calm himself down. He looked back at Elena's house and hit the steering wheel with the back of his open hand while cursing under his breath.

He knew he had to be patient. But Damon Salvatore didn't do patient. He had never been a patient human, and he was an even less patient vampire.

He also knew that Elena was stubborn, but how stubborn, he wondered? And would she really go back to Stefan after this? The thought of it made Damon sick to his stomach. Just imagining seeing Stefan kiss her after the night they'd shared…

He turned the ignition and drove off. It was still time to get a late one at the The Grill. He needed to be around people. And he felt he owed Rose a drink, a parting drink. He missed her already.

Another thing was; he wasn't really up for going back to the boarding house. Looking Stefan in the eye was hard enough on a day to day basis knowing he had feelings for his younger brother's girl. But now, it was going to be hell. He had actually broken one of the cardinal rules of brotherhood; he had slept with the one person his brother loved above all others.

Screw the fact that this was a mirror image of the drama called Katherine. That was in the past. Damon had left all of that behind the moment he closed Katherine in the cave. She was forgotten. As he parked the car outside the bar, he tried to shrug the feeling of guilt right off him. It used to be so easy to do, but these days, it was near impossible. Elena had stirred some crazy feelings inside of him and he couldn't lay them to rest. Once again he cursed under his breath at the thought of her.

He had been scared of himself and what kind of thoughts he'd had in Elena's room. All he'd wanted to do was to rip that godforsaken necklace off her neck and compel her to want him and him only, to forget about Saint Stefan and her damned promise to him. But he'd held back. He'd done the right thing by her, and really, by himself as well. Now she would come to him because she really wanted to, not because of compulsion.

It was just that this good guy-thing took such a long time to benefit from, which called for endurance and staying power; which called for whiskey. Lots of whiskey.

Sitting down at the bar, Damon tried to sort his head out once and for all. He would leave Elena alone. He would pretend to Stefan that nothing had happened. He would…

Damon could sense his brother in the vicinity and he winced, knowing that he still had Elena's scent on him. Quickly ordering a double whiskey, he turned his head around to see Stefan standing behind him with a worried look on his face.

'Why haven't you called me, Damon?'

Damon smirked at him.

'Checking up on me, Pops? And here I thought for all these years that I was actually the older brother. My bad.' He turned back to pick up his drink, trying not to move too much because of the glorious scent stemming from his clothes and body.

'Where are Rose and Elena? I got back and the house was empty. And I could smell blood. Lots of it.'

Damon nodded for Stefan to sit down beside him.

'Give my brother whatever he likes', Damon said to the bartender before looking at Stefan again. 'Elena is at home, to the best of my knowledge. And Rose, well, she's dead.'

Stefan stared at his brother. He quickly scanned the room for anyone who might be listening to their conversation. When he was sure that wasn't the case he turned back to Damon.

'What do you mean Rose is dead? When I called Elena earlier, she said Rose was out for the count. I swear to you, on my life, that if you let Rose hurt Elena…'

Damon cut him off.

'There you go again, dear brother, throwing blame. I've done nothing wrong here. Elena is safe at home. I checked in on her a while ago. She's fine. A bit shook up, but fine. Not a hair curved on her pretty little head.'

'What happened?' Stefan looked as if he were about to throttle Damon. 'And why didn't you call me? When did this happen? Did it ever occur to you that I might have an interest in Elena's wellbeing?'

There was a weight on Damon's shoulders that he felt desperate to ease. His old self would have thought it only fair what had happened, but now. The guilt was tangible and it was hurting him. And he had no one to blame but himself. He shouldn't have done what he did, and to say that he did it out of love for Elena was stupid and reckless.

It was the truth, but sometimes the truth hurts too much.

'Rose tried to attack Elena and I stopped her by killing her. She's buried out in the woods. Elena went home and I checked on her before I came here.' He looked over at Stefan. 'Oh, and I'm just fine by the way, Stefan. Not hurting at all by the fact that I had to kill the only person who cared for me. Thanks for asking.'

Stefan even had the decency to look guilty, as Damon did what he does best; obscuring the truth by adding faults in other corners of the mind. In other words; placing blame where there is none. He'd perfected the art many, many years ago. And he was still surprised that it worked so well on his brother. He nearly gave Stefan a slap over the head for falling for it, again.

'I'm sorry, Damon. It's just, when it comes to Elena I tend to go overboard sometimes.'

'And haven't we all noticed', Damon mumbled into his drink.

Stefan ignored Damon's pun, and stood up to push the bar stool against the bar.

'I should go see her. She must be really upset. I should never have left her alone; I had a feeling that something would go wrong.'

Damon had to force himself not to grab hold of Stefan's arm to keep him put. He didn't want him to go over to Elena's and comfort and her god knows what.

'Look, why don't you give her a call instead. She said she was tired when I left her. Today has been quite an ordeal for her, Stefan. You can go over there tomorrow.'

He watched Stefan grab his cell out of his jacket pocket and relaxed a little.

Stefan sat back down while dialing Elena's number. There were quite a few seconds passed before she picked up. Damon strained a little to hear her because of the music in the background. She sounded a little subdued, and he couldn't hear the usual relief in her voice when she spoke to Stefan.

She politely answered the questions about Rose that Stefan asked, but kept really vague on what she'd been up to after Rose's death. Damon swallowed hard when Stefan asked about Damon visiting. If she would lie about him being there, it would look really bad. But she didn't. She told him that Damon had been there briefly before heading out.

'Would you like me to come over', Stefan asked in a soothing voice. 'You might not want to be alone.'

There was a pause, and Damon held his breath. He could feel the neck of his shirt straining against his throat all of a sudden and heat rise through his body. If she said yes…

'_No, Stefan. I'm fine; I was just on my way to bed_.'

Damon smirked into the glass.

That's my girl, he thought as he downed it in one. Pointing to the bartender that he wanted a refill, he turned to Stefan hanging up on Elena, who looked quite disappointed at being turned down.

Stefan ordered a glass of whiskey, single on the rocks. Compulsion where it was needed it seemed.

'Going straight for the hard stuff. Nice.' Damon smiled at Stefan, who only glanced at him before taking a large sip of the amber colored fluid. 'That one's on me', Damon told the bartender, who nodded with an empty look in his eyes. Stefan's compulsion was a lot stronger now that he was on part human blood. Elena's blood, Damon shuddered.

He could still feel her blood singing in his veins. There was nothing as potent as drinking blood straight from the source while having sex. He wondered if Stefan had tried that with Elena too, but quickly steered himself away from such thoughts. Too much information and all that.

Still turned to Stefan he gave him the once over.

'Look, Stefan. I should have called you when it had happened. I know you were looking for a cure for Rose. But to tell the truth, I was a bit… upset about it all. It's not every day I kill someone I care about.'

Stefan met his eyes. There was something close to understanding in them, and again Damon cringed inside knowing his brother trusted him, and he was betraying that trust.

'But you did it _for_ someone you care about. You made a choice. It was her or Elena. You chose Elena. I'll never be able to thank you enough for that, Damon.' Stefan shook his head slightly. 'The decision must have been hard to make.'

Damon was just about to agree, when he stopped himself. There had never been a choice. As soon as he'd answered his cell and he heard what was going on between Elena and Rose, he'd known. There had been nothing on his mind, but saving Elena. The anger he'd felt afterwards, after burying the body, had nothing to do with him thinking Elena had infuriated Rose. It was the aftershock of the panic he'd felt knowing that by him leaving Elena on her own with Rose, he could have been the one responsible for Elena's death. And it had petrified him, shaken him to his very core.

'We do what we have to do', he settled on saying. 'Oh, and by the way. Rose went hard on the blood bags, so we need to go get some more if we wanna stay healthy.' He smirked at Stefan, who nodded slightly and finished his drink. He gave Damon a quick slap on the back as he stood up.

'Let's go home, brother.'

Damon hesitated for a second before he followed Stefan. As he stood up Stefan stiffened and looked up at him. Confusion flashed over his face and then realization. Damon pretended not to have noticed the change in Stefan and just smiled at him as he walked past him towards the entrance. But Damon's smile vanished as soon as Stefan couldn't see his face any longer.

He knew that his brother knew, or at least suspected. Stefan could smell Elena all over Damon as soon as he had moved. And not just her skin and her perfume. His fingers had been inside of her less than an hour ago; her scent was fresh on him.

He waited for a reaction from Stefan as they stepped out on the deserted main road, but nothing happened. The car ride to the boarding house was quiet, and he could see Stefan glancing over at him with a stony face, but he acted as if he didn't notice.

Damon walked straight to his room as they got back. He scanned it but saw nothing out of the ordinary. He'd changed bed linen and kept his balcony door open to rid himself of any trace of her. But he could still sense a hint of her smell from somewhere. He quickly walked over to the bathroom. There is was. Her smell again. Strong, as if she was in there.

He searched the floor and saw nothing. He walked over to the shower. Again, nothing. Looking into the waste bin he could see something white and lacy. He picked it up and realized it was her underwear. She'd actually thrown them away in his bathroom, that naughty little minx. He smirked evilly.

He remembered the both of them in her room as he'd unzipped her jeans; he'd noticed she hadn't been wearing any underwear then, but he'd been so aroused by it that he hadn't reflected on it for more than a split second.

Had she no common sense?, he thought furiously. Leaving these kinds of obvious traces of herself around a house full of vampires was bordering on stupid, and it was the first time he'd actually thought of the word stupid and Elena in the same sentence. He found himself cursing her for the third time within just a few hours.

He quickly discarded the underwear into his jacket pocket when he heard Stefan opening the door to his room. He plastered a smile back on his face as he turned to Stefan, who was lingering by the door frame.

'Are you going to tell me what's been going on, or am I going to have to ask Elena?' Stefan said, eyes shining like green emeralds. Damon could see his jaw clench. So now he had to lie to his brother because of her as well. Damned women making him do stuff he'd be the one suffering for.

'What do you mean, what's going on?' he stalled and tried to walk past Stefan, who grabbed his arm and forced Damon to turn to face him.

'I shouldn't even have to tell you. I can smell her all over you. She's been in here. And the scent is strong, Damon.'

Damon tried a short laughter delaying an answer, as an idea reached him.

'Oh, you must mean these.' He reached for Elena's underwear and held them up in front of Stefan's face. The look his brother gave him was priceless, and Damon was glad that his reflexes were as fast as they were as Stefan flung himself towards him to try to grab him.

Damon continued laughing as he easily dodged Stefan's advances by playfully pushing Stefan's arms away from him.

'Hold up, Stefan. It's not what you think.'

Stefan stopped for a second before lunging at him again.

'Nothing. Nothing? You're holding my girlfriend's underwear in your hand and you tell me it's nothing', he shouted furiously.

Damon held up one finger and put his fist against Stefan's chest to keep Stefan at bay.

'Ex girlfriend, brother. With emphasis on ex.'

Stefan threw himself at Damon with an enraged growl and this time managed to dunk him into the wall next to the door.

Damon was still smiling at Stefan who had fully vamped out by now. But he could feel the strain of the smile against his cheeks. This might have been him a year ago, but this wasn't him anymore. He was aching to tell Stefan, just to ease the pain. To make him understand that Damon loved Elena too. If not more…

He'd already given her up once for Stefan. That's how much he loved her. And that's how much he loved his brother. But being altruistic could only go so far.

'If you'd just let me explain…'

Stefan shook his head.

'There's nothing to explain' he snarled at Damon.

'Ah come on. She took a shower in my room while I buried Rose, who, by the way, was killed in _your_ room. As you stated earlier, there was blood everywhere, so my guess is that she didn't want to stay close to the bloodbath.'

Damon drew an unnecessary breath before he continued.

'And she left her underwear, by mistake I might add, in my bathroom. I'd brought them with me to give to her, but the state she was in, I didn't think she'd appreciate me giving her her undies. A joke too soon doesn't go that well with neither you or her, or so it seems. So that's why you could smell her on me at the bar. I had these…' He let the underwear dangle from his hand. '…in my pocket.'

There was silence throughout the room. Stefan was staring at him blankly while his face returned to normal, ostensibly trying to figure out whether to believe Damon or not. Eventually Damon could see Stefan's anger subside. He had decided to believe in the goodness of Elena, instead of what was staring him right in the face; his brother's obvious lies.

Stefan ripped the underwear from Damon's hand and stalked out of the room. Damon leaned against the door frame and swore at the thought of Elena for the fourth time in the same night. He was sure he must be reaching some sort of record by now.

* * *

Elena tossed and turned in bed. Flashes of Damon kept rushing through her head leaving her dizzy and breathless. She could still feel his fingers inside of her and his hot breath against her skin.

She gingerly touched the bite he'd given her and time warped its way back to when it actually happened. It hadn't hurt like she thought it would have, it had warmed her skin and sent hot flushes to her groin. She had felt as if she knew what Damon was feeling and her heart had melted in his arms. And somehow she'd known that the sensation had been mutual.

When Stefan had taken her blood it hadn't been out of pleasure, but out of need, like a business deal. She had done it out of love for Stefan and what he was struggling to do, but it hadn't felt the same at all. This had been a completely different experience. With Damon it had been out of lust. And pure emotion. Her orgasm had felt stronger than ever before, and the closeness they had shared had been magic. Out of this world.

At the bare thought of Damon taking her blood she could feel her blood flowing faster through her veins. It was as if he was calling for her, willing her to him. She knew it was impossible, but it felt so real. And she wanted more. Her body was aching for his touch, and she tried her hardest to ignore the fact.

She had to focus on the things that were of most importance. Stefan, and what she felt for him. And what she truly felt for Damon. She knew that she loved Stefan. She knew she lusted after his brother. But what about the other way around? Did she lust after Stefan? Did she love Damon?

She was too confused. Her emotions were all tangled up inside of her and she couldn't seem to untangle the mess.

She nearly jumped out of her pajama when her cell indicated a received message.

She sat up and picked her phone up. Her heart skipped a beat as she read who the sender was.

Damon.

She quickly unlocked the phone and scrolled for unread messages.

_-Guess who saved your sorry ass tonight. So when baby brother asks you about your sexy undies in my room, you just forgot them there.  
D._

Elena gasped. Her underwear. She felt that a proper palm slaps face-action was due, but she was physically numb. Her fingers kept missing the keypad when writing an answer; her hands were shaking so much. She'd put Damon in a really awkward situation without meaning to. After writing and re-writing her message quite a few times, she settled on the most honest she could think of.

_-i'm so sorry.  
E._

She winced as she sent the message, knowing it would make him angry. Only a few minutes passed before the phone vibrated in her hand.

_-Don't strain yourself on my behalf.  
If you haven't got anything more to say than that, I'd rather you say nothing at all.  
D. _

Elena cursed her stupidity. She'd known it already, to say she's sorry to Damon was like telling Jeremy there are no such things as vampires. A blatant lie and derogatory to his person.

_-if i say that i take it all back, will u 4give me?  
E._

Phone vibrated again.

_-Will you stop lying to yourself?  
D._

_-only if u will give me some space 2 think.  
E._

_-So you admit you're lying?  
D._

Elena stared at the phone. Why would he have to be so stubborn? He knew how hard this was on her. And she wasn't even sure of her own feelings just yet.

_-i thought u said ur done chasing me. wot changed?  
E._

Elena was waiting impatiently for his answer. She thought he wasn't going to give one when the phone vibrated again.

_-Everything.  
D._

_

* * *

_

**This will probably be my last update until after the next epi. I'm going to my sister's funeral, so will actually miss the airing of the show...**

**And my daughter is back from staying a month with her Daddy, so I won't have as much time on my hands now. She's only six :) (But gorgeous)**

**There will be an update on my other story, Waking Up, as well before January 27th. So keep your eyes out for it.**

**As always! Review - I LOVE IT! Your thoughts are amazing. And eventhough I might have a sort of mold for my story, your thoughts and comments might actually slightly change my plans. And that's what I really love about . It keeps the stories flowing and alive. And I have you to thank for that :)**

**My friend LoveEpicLove actually reminded me of the fact that one of my videos on youtube reminded her of this story (thank you, hun) so if you have the time, check it:**

**It's called 'damon/elena; stefan (i know he knows i'm) unfaithful' - under my username of lucas13oth  
**

**Songs used:**

**Numb Dubstep - Homemade320 (Linkin Park)**

**Trouble Dubstep - Homemade320 (Coldplay)**

**Please check him out - he's truly awesome!**

**Hugs and kisses,**

**Vic xxx**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you so much for all of your patience! **

**And thank you all for your awesome reviews and emails! They all make me smile.**

**Not much of Delena in this chapter, but it is part of the story. ****No worries though. More Delena to come ;)**

Bonnie's discomfort was obvious by the way she was leaning away from Elena, albeit subconsciously. Elena's chin went up in defiance and she met her friend's eyes squarely.

'I've never questioned you, Bonnie, or who you've fallen in love with. So please, don't question me. It happened, OK. Am I thrilled about it? –No. but it's how I feel.'

'That's not it, Elena, and you know it. It's just… it's Damon. I don't trust him. It's always bad news with him and I don't want that for you. Look at what happened to Rose. She trusted him, and now she's dead.'

'But _I_ trust him' Elena pleaded with Bonnie. And if I do, why can't you?'

'I trust him too' piped up Caroline. 'I do!' she exclaimed as Bonnie gave her a cold stare from under her fringe.

'He wanted you dead, Caroline, only a few months ago. He used you, fed from you and compelled you. Remember?' Bonnie stated in an icy voice.

'I know. But he doesn't anymore. He's helped me out. He's saved my life several times since. I trust him.'

Bonnie shook her head in disbelief.

'I still don't like the idea of you and him, Elena. It gives me the creeps to tell the truth. And what about Stefan? I thought you loved him.'

Elena looked down at her hands that were absently stroking the white crouched bedspread of Caroline's bed that they were all sitting on.

'I love him, but I'm not _in_ _love_ with him. Not anymore. And believe me, I've done nothing but think about it for the last week. It's all I've thought about.'

'So, what's the problem?' Caroline asked, pushing hair out of her eyes. 'Why don't you just tell Damon how you feel and you can both run off into the sunset together and live happily ever after.' Caroline sniggered. 'It's true', she continued. 'We all know how Damon feels. It's obvious. It's so obvious it's slightly annoying at times'.

Bonnie shook her head incredulously at Caroline before turning to Elena again.

'So what are you gonna do about Stefan? That's the main question. He still thinks you love him, right?' She righted herself as Elena opened her mouth in protest. 'He still thinks you're _in_ love with him. Sorry.' She rolled her eyes and smiled.

'I'm gonna talk to him tonight. There's no need to drag it out any longer. I know what I want and it's not him. What if I died tomorrow? What if Elijah won't be able to protect me from Klaus? I'd wanna live my life properly – no regrets.'

The words got stuck in the back of her throat as soon as she'd said them out loud.

No regrets. That's what she had promised Damon. But she hadn't delivered. She bit down on her bottom lip to stop herself from sobbing out loud.

'What is it, Elena?' Bonnie grabbed Elena's cold hands and squeezed them tight. 'If you're not sure, maybe you should wait to tell him a bit longer. Stefan already knows you need time.'

Elena started shaking her head and glanced at both of her friends looking at her with worried frowns on their faces.

'I made a promise to Damon and I didn't' keep it. I really hurt him and I don't know how to make it OK again. I've been so stupid and I've taken him for granted for such a long time. I've always thought he'd be here for me. And I just don't know…' Her shoulders were shaking slightly as tears slowly started making their way down her cheeks. '… I just don't know how to get him to forgive me.'

'What could you possibly have done to make him angry with you? How could you hurt _his_ feelings? Damon isn't capable for feeling hurt.' Bonnie stared pointedly at Elena. 'All he does is cause hurt.'

'I… we… ', Elena started, but the words just wouldn't come out right.

Caroline was the first to catch on. Her eyes widened in surprise as realization hit.

'No, you didn't.' she shouted. 'Elena Gilbert, you little slut. You've slept with him already, haven't you? Oh my god.' She patted Elena's knee. 'But I'm so proud of you. And he's good, isn't he?'

Bonnie nudged her pretty hard in the side.

'What? I'm sorry, but it's true. I remember stuff, you know', she stated, a bit miffed.

Elena's cheeks were burning hot and she pressed her hands against them to cool down. She felt as if she couldn't breathe properly and her pulse was throbbing in her ears.

'Please, Caroline, don't remind me.' Elena whined inaudibly.

'Oh come on, E. You know I'm just messing with you.' Caroline grinned at her, her blonde curls bouncing around her shoulders in an attempt to keep from laughing out loud. 'I seriously didn't think you had it in you. That's usually something I would do. You know, having casual hot sex with the totally inappropriate guy.'

At this Bonnie broke out in a small smile.

'That's true, you would', she said, her smile widening further, giving Caroline's knee a light slap.

Caroline gave Bonnie's arm a friendly smack right back and all at once Elena had no trouble breathing at all. She knew she had made the right choice telling her best friends what had been bothering her for so long.

'So, mission Get Damon is commencing?' Caroline asked with a mischievous grin.

'I guess so', Bonnie answered, leaning over to give Elena a hug. Caroline wasn't late to follow suit.

'Best friends forever', Caroline whispered.

'Best friends forever', Elena and Bonnie quietly replied in unison.

* * *

'OK. How are we gonna do this?' Caroline asked Elena and Bonnie as she stood in front of her closet. 'Damon likes the sassy ones, doesn't he, so how about this one?'

She held out a short mini dress that barely covered her thighs and laughed at Elena's horrified face.

'Oh, don't worry, E. I'm taller than you, so it's not _that_ short. But I do think this is the outfit to go for. Seriously, I might not know any witchy woo woo-stuff or how to keep my big mouth out of trouble. But I do know guys. This is it.'

Bonnie tilted her head slightly and shook her head.

'I don't know, Caroline. It's really not something Elena would wear.'

'Don't be silly. I've seen Elena wear skirts shorter than this. Haven't you?' Caroline turned to Elena, who, in spite of not really wanting to admit it, nodded.

'Yea, I have. But not in this sort of context. And also, not with heels like that', pointing to the black ten inch heels that Caroline had brought out earlier from her huge pile of shoes.

'Come on, Elena. They're so pretty' whined Caroline.

'I'm not saying otherwise, I'm just saying that it's all too…' she didn't finish the sentence, so Bonnie ended it for her.

'Slutty?'

Elena started smiling. 'Yea, something like that. I'd feel to self conscious, Care, honestly.'

'Oh, OK', Caroline muttered and turned back to the closet again. She looked through some more of her hanging items until the girls could hear her catch her breath.

'I think I've found it.' She pulled out a deep red empire line dress, with a high waist and skirt that ended just above the knee. 'Damon will totally freak when he sees you in this. And it's classy, so don't you dare tell me you won't wear it. And also, being a vampire he will totally love you in the empire cut. It shows off your neck.'

She gave Bonnie a warning glance, knowing that Bonnie might not like idea of Damon wanting Elena's neck. But to get a vampire's blood boiling, a bare neck was essential. Caroline knew this from personal experience. And to add a bare neck on a human that you're already exited by is like adding fuel to fire. No amount of short skirts and high heels would ever change that fact.

Elena stood up and stroked the fabric. It felt soft and cool against her hand.

'Try it on', Caroline said.

She nodded and went into Caroline's en suite bathroom. Caroline handed her the heels with a grin.

As soon as Elena had disappeared behind the door Bonnie turned to Caroline.

'What were you thinking about, telling Elena that she should show her neck to Damon. He's a vampire. A predator. He's dangerous', she silently cried out, not wanting Elena to hear her.

'Well, so am I, Bonnie. And besides, Damon would never, ever hurt Elena.' Not without her consent anyway, Caroline added quietly to herself. 'But if he's got the hots for her, which he does, and he's trying to avoid her, this will make it almost impossible for him to not get the picture. And that's the reaction we want to accomplish. We want him to eat right out of her hand. And we both know Elena; she's not really the saucy temptress, so the right kind of dress is just what she needs.

When Elena walked out of the bathroom her friends stared at her in awe. The color brought out her olive skin and her brown eyes. And the fabric skimmed her body in all the right places. The black heels elongated her already tall legs. Elena had pulled her hair up in a bun, knowing that what Caroline had said was right. An exposed neck would really set Damon off. She looked absolutely amazing, and she felt it too.

'Wow. Damon is so screwed', Caroline breathed quietly.

* * *

When Elena came to see him he already knew what she wanted to say. He'd been waiting over a week for her to call on him. He'd left her to think things through. He had kept from calling her, avoiding her as much as he could. He wanted her to be sure of what she wanted when she finally decided to talk to him.

But when she stood there in front of him, soft lips and sad eyes, he wanted to stop it all from happening. He wanted to silence her words with a kiss. Pretend it had all been a dream, a nightmare. He wished for it all to be over. He wished for a fresh start. A way to move past all of the hurt and lies.

Flashes of his brother's face came before his eyes, mirroring Elena's right at this moment. He had known then, just as he knew now, that his brother's love for Elena had forced itself into her soul and had ripped her from out of his grasp.

He'd known of Damon's love for a long time. He'd hoped that it would fade, wishing that his own love for her would be stronger, that it would deter Damon. And keep him from losing Elena.

But he could see it in her eyes. He could smell it on her. The regret. The fear. The relief.

This time, he wouldn't break down in front of her. This time he would stay strong.

He couldn't blame Damon for falling in love with her. How could he, when he knew exactly why and how? Elena was an angel walking the earth. She was worth any pain and suffering he could ever imagine.

The look in Damon's eyes had said it all. And the way Damon had tried his best to keep the truth hidden from him was proof enough that Damon really cared. He wouldn't even use the fact that he had obviously had some sort of relation with Elena as means to hurt Stefan. He had tried to protect her, even from that. And he had tried to protect Stefan.

And now here she was, tears in her eyes, trying to protect his brother in return. And that's when Stefan knew, he had lost her for good.

'This time, Elena, I need you to hear _me_ out. I really don't think I can listen to the reason why, but I know why you're here. And I just want you to know, that it's ok. I _know_, and I'm trying to understand. I'm not saying that I'll ever be able to, but I _will_ try. For you and for my brother.

Elena flinched at his last words. She had clearly thought that he didn't know and somehow that hurt even more than the realization of what they had tried to keep from him in the first place.

'I've just got one question. How long? How long have you two…?' He swallowed hard. 'How long has it been going on?' He could barely finish the sentence. The pain was burning large holes in his lungs. And although he didn't need the air he found it awfully hard to breathe, let alone get the words out.

Elena turned pale and her eyes flickered to the floor. She opened her mouth to speak several times, but no words came out. And for just a short second, Stefan relished in the fact that he wasn't making things too easy on her.

But it only lasted for the shortest of whiles. His jaw clenched and unclenched before he decided to put her out of her misery, but she preceded him.

'It was only once', she whispered, her voice so soft he wouldn't have heard her without his highly developed hearing. She took a step towards him, tears streaming down her face. Her whole body was literally shaking.

'Stefan, I'm so…' she started but he stopped her by raising his hand in front of him.

'Don't. Don't say another word. If you do I might not… Just, please don't. I beg you.' He let his hand fall to his side. There was no more fight in him left.

'I will always love you, Elena. But I will never force you to stay if you don't feel the same way. I care for you too much.'

She made a choking sound before she ran into his arms and hugged him tightly.

'I love you too, Stefan. Please, never think I don't. You will always be in my heart. As my first real love.'

Stefan put a hand lightly between her shoulder blades and pressed her against him before gently grabbing her arms to push her away from him.

'But not your last', he smiled sadly, somehow void of the bitterness he had thought he would feel.

Is this how Damon felt, being rejected by Katherine, he found himself thinking as he wiped away the tears from Elena's flushed cheeks.

'I forgive you, Elena. Although there is nothing to forgive in the first place, but I guess you need to hear it from me. You can't help who you fall in love with. I should know, I've been there.'

She nodded slowly and smiled at him. Her beautiful, angelic smile. The smile he would treasure for all of eternity. She closed her eyes and let her cheek rest against his hand.

'I know', she whispered. They stood there in silence for a long while before any of them moved.

'Goodbye, Elena', Stefan in a low voice and kissed her forehead tenderly.

'Goodbye', she sighed, relief apparent in her tone. And when she opened her eyes again, he was gone.

* * *

**I promise it won't take as long for an update this time.**

**I really just want to say I sooo appreciate all of your lovely comments surrounding my sister's funeral. It was very beautiful and I feel I got the chance to say goodbye to her properly.**

**Thank you!**

**On another note. I do hope that I haven't made you all dislike Elena too much in my previous chapters, and that you might start liking her again. She's just a very confused 17year old right now, trying to do the right thing. She now knows she loves Damon. But will he let her in again? Will it be as easy for her, or has she broken his trust completely...?**

**Songs used:**

**The Click Five - Empty**

**Bon Iver - Blindsided**


	6. Chapter 6

**To all of you, my most sincere apologies for not uploading for so long...**

**Sometimes real life gets in the way. But I've tried to write a longer chapter this time. **

**And hopefully this chapter will be to your liking :)**

**As usual; I don't own The Vampire Diaries or any of the characters...**

* * *

Elena walked into the bar flanked by Caroline. She felt Caroline's high heels digging into the carpet and prayed that she wouldn't stumble. That's when she saw him. He was sitting by the bar chatting to some perky blondes, probably from the local college. Heat rose through her body and as if she could sense it, Caroline gently grabbed her arm and pulled her back a bit.

'Remember to be calm, E. You don't want him thinking you're desperate.' She puckered her brow slightly as she met Elena's eyes. 'Seriously. All you have to think is this; I will not be like Caroline. I will not be like Caroline. And you'll be fine.' Winking at Elena, she steered them towards the other end of the bar. Far enough for Damon not to hear them; but close enough for him to really get a good look at her.

Elena forced a smile on her face as she closed in to where Damon was sat. She noticed him tense up a bit as she came into his line of vision, but he made no attempt to acknowledge her it seemed. Not that she'd thought he would. Damon hadn't been in touch with her ever since he came over to her house that night. And he could be stubborn. Well, if he could, so could she. She determinately raised her chin brushing past him, but as soon as her arm touched the cool leather of his jacket a shiver of electricity ran down her spine and left her legs unable to steady her properly. Her right ankle folded treacherously under her weight and had it not been for Caroline's speed, she would have crashed to the floor in an embarrassing heap, right in front of Damon and his peroxide blondes.

She was mortified. But Caroline refused to let go of her, even though they could both hear the laughter of the girls hogging Damon's attention. She tried to stand up with as much dignity as possible, but when they arrived to their end of the bar Elena turned to Caroline abruptly.

'See, told you this would happen. And these heels… Caroline, can we please just go now? I think I've done enough damage already.'

Caroline shook her head. 'Ok, Elena. Here's my first advice to you when it comes to guys. There's nothing called bad attention. You got him to notice you. As if he wouldn't have done that anyways', Caroline mused more to herself than to Elena. 'I could practically see the sparkles when you touched his arm. Nice one, E.' Her smile was angelic, but her eyes glittered of mischief.

'We just need to work him a bit and then he's yours again. Oh, and don't worry about those girls. He's not interested at all. I can tell by the way his left leg's shaking. He used to do that a lot when I was with him.' Caroline frowned in his direction. 'And now that I know the reason for it, all I wanna do is hit him over the head with a blunt object.'

She turned back to Elena, while waving the bartender over to them. 'But nevermind about me. This is about you and how to get your man back.'

Elena sighed. 'He was never mine to start with, and besides, it's pretty obvious that he's not interested in me either.' She looked over her shoulder and met Damon's eyes for just a second before he scanned her body with a blank expression on his face. He sneered slightly before he turned his attention back to the college girls, which made Elena's stomach churn. If that wasn't a brush off, she didn't know what was. She watched Caroline compel the bartender to give them a couple of alcoholic drinks, and she actually savored the burning sensation down her throat. Tonight was a night she could use the extra boost.

As the night progressed, so did Elena's alcohol consumption. Caroline had left Elena alone to her own accord, to go over to speak Matt, who'd started working the night shift. Elena could see that one of the girls had advanced more than a little towards Damon, and was now standing next to him with her arm slung around his shoulders. And worst part was; he didn't even seem to mind. Elena was reeling. So much for saying that he cared, she thought to herself.

Taking another swig of the drink she had in front of her, she determined that now was the time to step in and talk to him. Talk some _sense_ into him.

Carefully putting one foot in front of the other she managed to squeeze herself through the throng of people that had gathered around the bar. The high heels made her wobble a bit and she giggled as she accidently fell against some guys from her school. She vaguely recognized a few of them as members of the football team. One of them steadied her before turning back to his friends. She heard him say her name and something about being drunk, but she didn't care. Her soul focus was Damon.

She tried to keep her eyes on him but he was a bit blurry around the edges. She stopped in front of the threesome with a slight tilt to her frame, trying to steady herself, and Blondie number one looked up in surprise when she saw Elena.

'Can I help you?' she asked loudly, trying not to be drowned out completely by the music, blaring out of the speakers. Elena shook her head no, looking straight at Damon, who was in a deep conversation with Blondie number two, still with her arm wrapped around him.

Now that Elena was closer to them she noticed that Damon was resting his hand on Blondie's hip, and a flash of anger went through her. She knew he'd noticed her, she knew he could smell her from miles away. But he was still ignoring the fact that she was right there, having to watch him flirt unabashed with someone else. And that really bothered her. And why wouldn't it? He'd told her that he wanted her, and this was certainly no way of showing that. And also, she thought to herself, not noticing Blondie number one's attempt to get her attention again, hadn't he told her, in not so many words that he wasn't done chasing after her? Wasn't that what he'd meant when he told her that everything had changed for him? Sometimes that man infuriated her when talking in riddles.

Not having patience to wait any longer, she grabbed his arm to get him to look at her. His whiskey splashed all over Blondie number two and she jumped back from his arms and stared down at her soaking top before turning her scowling face to Elena.

'What the hell?' she shouted furiously. 'What's your problem?'

Elena didn't even bother to look at her. She was still watching Damon. At first he wouldn't meet her gaze, but when he did, they were cold as ice.

'No, Elena', he said. 'What's _your_ problem?' Even through the loud music she could hear the menace in his voice. But she barely acknowledged it. She took a step forward, still gripping the arm of his jacket.

'You. You're my problem!'

'Elena, you're drunk. Maybe you should go home.' His voice was even, void of emotions.

'What, so you're just gonna stay here, with these…' She gave Blondie number two a dirty look.

'Better watch out, Elena.' Damon said, staring hard at her. 'Don't say anything you might regret.'

'Oh, you mean just like you', she mocked.

He leaned in closer to her.

'I'm warning you, Elena. Don't go down that road with me. Not now.'

'So when, Damon? Tomorrow, after you've slept with at least one of these…girls? Or maybe even both? When? Not that I care or anything. I mean, why should I. It's just the same when it comes to you, isn't it. Fickle as always.'

The girl with the soaked top started shouting something at her, but Elena brushed her off with her hand.

'Look, don't care. Don't wanna know. So you might as well be quiet. This is between me and Damon.' She kept her eyes locked to his the whole time. She saw his jaw clench and unclench repeatedly and she kind of enjoyed getting him worked up.

Blondie number one, probably feeling a bit protective over her friend, grabbed Elena's arm and tried to turn Elena to face her. 'I don't know who you are, but you can't just come here and…' She didn't get any further before Elena shook the girls hand off her.

'Just shut up. I told you this has nothing to do with you.'

Damon stood up abruptly, forcing Elena to take a step back. She bumped into another customer and to steady herself she moved her left foot back. But the heels were still working against her, maybe more so now that she'd ingested one too many mojitos, so she stumbled towards Damon, who roughly grasped her by the shoulders.

'You need to leave, Elena, or I swear to you, you'll suffer the consequences.'

'Ooh, Damon. I'm so scared', she scoffed. But the look in his eyes told her she might want to listen to what he was saying. She averted her eyes from his.

'I mean it. You do not come over here to be rude to the company I'm with. If you wanna talk to me, there's a time and place for it. It's not here; and certainly not now. You're drunk.' The sneer on his face devastated her. He let go of her and sat back down. 'Now, please leave.'

In slow motion she watched him apologize to the girls and they all turned away from her, facing the bar again. Damon ordered them new drinks and they resumed their conversation, just as if Elena hadn't been there at all.

In a moment of clarity she began to realize what she was doing, so she stumbled past a group of her old cheerleading squad and into the ladies. She leaned against the sink, trying not to let the room spin around her. She was afraid to look up, to see her own reflection in the mirror. She cringed at the thought of how she'd behaved, but she missed him. She missed him so much, her soul was aching.

She reached out to grab some tissue from a box on the wall next to the sink and started to rub the lipstick, which Caroline had painstakingly painted on her, off her lips. Staring at herself she started sobbing quietly.

What was she doing? What had gotten into her? This wasn't like her. This wasn't how she would normally react. First of all, the drinking. And second of all, the way she'd treated the girls Damon had been sitting with. And last, the way she'd been treating Damon. It appalled her.

But he was driving her crazy. She'd never wanted anyone as much as him, and it made her do stupid things. Silly things. She was acting rash, and that wasn't in her nature. She was always the one thinking twice. But not with Damon. There was something about him that made her inhibitions go right out the window.

She covered her eyes with her hands, trying hard to resume some control over herself and her shaking body. She didn't even hear the door open and close behind her.

'Elena.'

His quite voice made her skin tingle. She turned around, too quickly for her alcohol riddled brain to process, which made her sway a little too much to the right. Damon reached out to catch her, but she managed to straighten herself up again, so he ended up with his hands awkwardly stretched out in front of him before he leaned against the wall with his hands stuffed down his pockets.

'You look…' He stopped, following the contours of her body with his eyes. 'Ridiculous.' Her face fell. For once she had dressed up for someone, and then he thought of her as a joke. The rejection was a clenched fist to her stomach, punching the air right out of her.

Damon motioned to move closer to her, but stopped himself.

'This isn't you, Elena. Why are you doing this? You're drunk. And the dress, the high heels. Who are you pretending to be? Caroline?' He shook his head. 'This is beneath you, you know that right?'

Tears were pooling in her eyes and she looked at his devastatingly beautiful face, really not knowing what to say to him any longer. She felt breathless, leaning her back against the sink in defeat. So, this was it? This was how they were going to end?

Damon cursed himself for the third time that night. He couldn't believe it. There she was. Standing in front of him, reeking of alcohol, hair tousled and anger steaming from her body, and he'd never wanted her more. She was fighting for him. For him! This is what he'd wanted for so long and now that it was happening he wanted nothing more than to do a skip and a hop and throw her over his shoulder and run out of the door and never look back.

But he knew he couldn't give in this easily. And especially when she'd been drinking. He knew from personal experience that drinking and confessionals never boded well, so he just needed her out of here before she spilled.

He looked at her incredulously. And what was she thinking dressing up like Barbie? The main reason he loved Elena was because she wouldn't change for anyone or anything. Was this what he did to her? Then he was seriously going about it the wrong way.

He motioned at her to come with him.

'Come on. Let's find Caroline so she can take you home.'

'No, Damon. I'm not going anywhere with you. Just go back to the bar. I'll manage.'

Damon turned back to her with a small grin on his face.

'What, like you've seemed to manage so far? How's that going for you?' His lips turned into a sneer. 'Seems to me like you're drunk in the ladies' after insulting, not only me, but two complete strangers.' He nodded towards the door. 'Now, come on. Stop being childish.'

When she still refused, he grabbed her arm and started dragging her towards the exit.

'You're being such a brat, Elena. I'm just trying to help you, don't you get that.'

His eyes pierced hers and he leaned in close to her. Their faces only inches from each other.

'Now get out that door and find Caroline. You know, you're really starting to piss me off.'

Her cheeks turned crimson and he wasn't sure she was breathing properly. He knew what was coming, there was a speech brewing. And he wasn't disappointed.

'You tell me that you want me. You tell me you have feelings for me. But you won't give me any time to think things through; when you've had months to realize how _you_ feel, I've only had days. This is new to me, and confusing. Then you go off with some random girls less than a week later, and you have the stomach to get angry with _me_?' She shook his hand off of her. 'What more do you want from me?' She pushed him hard in the chest, knowing from experience he wouldn't budge, but she couldn't help it. She was livid. Not only with him, but with herself.

For letting Caroline convince her that this was the way to go. For Damon flirting with those girls at the bar. For thinking that something like this would ever work. For getting drunk and acting like a complete idiot. For wanting him. For loving him.

She kept pushing him. And he just stood there, a statue carved in stone, looking down at her with an empty expression on his face. And this only infuriated her more.

'Don't you dare looking at me like that! Don't you dare.' Tears of frustration started running down her cheeks. He finally grabbed her hands and pulled her closer to him.

'Or you'll do what?' he taunted. Elena was taking shallow breaths, trying to gain control of herself again.

She looked up at him, her eyelashes glistening of tears.

'I don't know.' She whispered. And she didn't. All she knew was that he smelled so lovely and she wanted his hands on her. She wanted to feel his skin against hers. And she wanted him to look at her again the way he usually would, and not like this. Cold eyes, tight mouth and locked jaw.

Very slowly she stepped closer to him, curling her fingers around his. He didn't move, which told her that she still had some leeway. One more step and her body was flush against his. Not leaving his eyes for a second she gently rubbed her nose against his chin. She felt his body stiffen but he still wasn't moving away from her. She could see her own reflection in the vivid blue of his eyes and she was drowning. But it felt so good; she welcomed being engulfed by their mesmerizing depth.

Their entwined hands came to a stop at their sides and when they did, Elena pulled him with her, until her back was yet again leaning against the sink. The anger had sobered her up profusely and she knew exactly what she was doing as she slid up on the counter, spreading her legs on each side of Damon narrow hips, using her hands as leverage. He hissed quietly as grabbed his jacket and pulled him towards her. She slipped her hands around his waist and inside the back pockets of his jeans.

He might be a vampire, but the grip she had on him now was strong as iron and not in the literal sense. He wasn't able to break free, even if he wanted to. He tried his best not to get sucked back into her charms, but he was failing miserably. Her eyes were nearly black with lust, her pupils dilated. His eyes kept pulling towards her parted lips; full and ripe like cherries.

Against his better judgement he leaned in and breathed in her sweet scent. He knew it had been the wrong move to make, because she took it as an invite to kiss him. And there was no way that he could resist. Or _would_ resist.

He wrapped his arms around her slight frame, pushing himself closer to her, while letting the kiss deepen, allowing himself to fall harder and faster. However hard he tried to keep his distance; there she was, drawing him in again. His hands slid down to her waist, following her gentle curves. Elena's dress had skimmed up halfway up to her legs and Damon traced his fingers over her naked skin, relishing at the softness of her. She sighed and pressed herself harder against him as his thumbs grazed the silky insides of her thighs.

'We need to stop', he murmured against her swollen lips. She nodded but said nothing. Instead she wrapped her legs around him and rubbed her core against his hardness, while grabbing his jacket to take it off. He helped her out by shrugging his shoulders, letting the jacket fall to the floor.

'Hold on' he whispered, grabbing hold of her firm bottom to swirl her around towards the door.

The sudden move startled Elena and she grabbed Damon around his neck holding on for dear life.

'What are you doing?' she gasped, thinking he was going to throw her out of the bathroom or something of the sort, but her merely slammed her against the bathroom door, reaching out to lock it firmly, before flashing her a wicked smile.

'You don't want anyone bursting in on us right now, do you? I know I don't.' He vampire sped them back to the sink, carefully putting Elena down. He pushed himself against her again, purring contently in her ear before letting his lips find hers, this time taking his sweet time kissing her. Taking pleasure in the taste of her.

But Elena didn't want foreplay, she didn't want slow and soulful. She wanted him hard and fast. No, not wanting; needing. She _needed_ him. She needed to know she was still the one for him.

She ripped his shirt open, forcing it off his torso in one swift move. Damon wasn't late to follow. He reached out under her dress to pull her closer to him, when he suddenly came to a standstill. He looked down at her with confusion written on his face. There was a stir of emotions flashing over his open features. But lastly it settled on pure lust. She met his eyes squarely.

'You've no underwear on'. His voice was hoarse.

They were staring at each other in silence before his lips came crashing down on top of Elena's. He could feel her smirk against his mouth and it angered him for some unknown reason. It made the blood boil in his veins, not for the first time that night, but for an entirely different reason. He felt himself fumble for the buckle of his belt. He could barely get his zipper open. Then he reached in under Elena's dress again, searching and finding the wetness and the heat, which lay in wait for him. He groaned slightly as one of his fingers slid inside of her, matching the sound that came from her lips in that same instance. She was so wet for him, squeezing tight against him. He rhythmically moved his finger against her sweet spot and she moved her hips against his hand while biting her lip.

'Can't wait', he moaned and pulled his finger out only to replace it with his throbbing member. His hands were literally shaking, as he shifted her hips upwards before ramming inside of her without warning. She let out a small cry, but he didn't care. Tonight he needed her to hurt. Tonight he needed to punish her, to make her feel his pain. He pulled out of her, only leaving the tip of him still inside of her, before once again filling her to the hilt. She held on to his shoulders, trying to move her hips away from him but he wouldn't let her.

His mouth found the soft skin where her neck met her shoulder, smelling the blood running freely, flowing of life inside of her. He let his tongue dart out a few times, tasting her skin, before giving her an open mouthed kiss just on the spot where the veins are the most succulent. He grabbed her by the back of the neck with one hand. The other he splayed against the small of her back to keep her steady, while taking her hard against the marble counter, knowing she would probably be more than a little bruised by tomorrow. But somehow, he didn't care about that either. For each stroke, he imagined finding a vein, biting down, sucking her blood. Licking her clean, just to bite down again. He found himself pounding harder, kissing her lips with venom. His anger and frustration getting closer to the surface for every blow and every bruise. He could hear her cries and moans and he treasured them; the vampire in him yearning for them.

Damon tilted his hips to get easier access deep inside Elena's core, needing to drive her closer to the edge. He wouldn't be able to hold out much longer. And he didn't want to. He could feel his fangs elongating and while plunging deeper inside of her he found that flawless vein, filled with mouthwatering blood.

'Elena', he moaned against her neck, his tongue licking her luscious vein, trying his best to keep control over himself.

She had her eyes closed and her head slightly turned away from him. With each thrust from him she felt herself closing in. Her walls were starting to tighten around him and with her legs firmly around his waist she started to ride him harder and faster, meeting his movements in perfect rhythm. Her loud moans had him reeling, her responses spurring him on.

She felt his fangs penetrate her skin just as orgasm hit them both. And she felt her blood draining in a mesh of feelings.

Lust. Love. Loss.

Her fingers laced his hair and she pressed him closer to her neck, wanting to savor the moment of their union. He moved inside of her very gently now. Ever so slowly coming to a stop before lifting his head to lean against her shoulder for a short while.

She stroked his cheek and kissed his lips, tasting the copper of her own blood on him. A tremor went through his body and he looked away before disentangling himself from her, pulling her dress down over her knees, before sorting his own clothes out. There wasn't much to do about his shirt, but he pulled his jacket up from the floor and closed it all the way up.

This was the first either of them heard of the banging on the door to the restroom. Both having been too preoccupied earlier. Damon smirked at her, but it disappeared as quickly as it showed.

Elena, feeling a bit self-conscious now, jumped off the counter and straightened her dress out. She pulled some of the pins out of her hair to hide the bite mark on her neck before turning to Damon where he stood, closed up and distant, yet again.

'What do we do now?' Elena asked him, trying to catch his gaze.

Damon glanced over to the door. 'Well, I guess that me walking out first and you counting to fifty is out of the question, so we might as well just open the door and take it on the chin. You up for that, or you scared that baby brother will find out?'

Elena started shaking her head.

'About that, Damon… ', she started, but he cut her off.

'Really, I don't wanna know about you and Stefan. Not now. Let's just…' He checked his clothes again, before absently lifting his hand to her face, letting a strand of her hair glide between his fingers. 'Let's just get out of here', he finished.

Resolutely he unlocked the door and to loud jeers from the people closest to them, they did their walk of shame together. Damon quickly assessed that Caroline had bailed on them, and she wasn't answering her phone when Damon tried to call her.

Elena had left her bag on the bar stool earlier, when she'd walked over to Damon, and it was of course gone by this time. And by the look on Damon's face maybe now wasn't the best time to borrow his cell, Elena suspected.

Damon near enough pushed her outside, where the clear air suddenly seemed to sober them both up, with what had just happened between them. Damon looked utterly uncomfortable, still holding his cell, after a few more non-productive calls to Caroline.

'She's probably gone home with Matt', Elena said quietly, looking over at Damon.

He muttered something under his breath, which Elena couldn't quite catch.

'What did you say?' she queried.

'I said, some friend.' His voice was laden with poison. He looked over at her for the first time since the restroom incident. Elena couldn't believe she was already calling it an incident. 'I'll get you a ride home, since she's obviously left you stranded. Come on.' He motioned for them to walk towards the car park.

Elena paused, causing Damon to turn back around to her.

'What?' he said, his tone short. 'What now?

'I can't go home. Aunt Jenna thinks I'm staying at Caroline's and I can't turn up looking like this.' She motioned to her disheveled appearance. 'It's not that late, and they'll still be up. And I can't go to Caroline's. She's probably told her mum she's staying with me, and I can't blow her cover. And above all, I reek of alcohol.' Elena said this with a slight blush protruding on her cheeks.

'Oh, yea, cos that's just fine. She can leave you stranded, but you can't blow her cover.' Damon ran his fingers through his hair in frustration.

'Why are you angry with me? I don't know what else to do?' Elena's voice was filled with tears.

Damon looked down at her flushed face.

On''You can start by not letting Caroline dress you into something you're not. Getting drunk to talk to me? That's not the Elena I know.'

'And as for me being angry with you? This is what you created, Elena. So deal. You made me feel again and what I'm feeling is hurt. _You_ hurt me. You wanted me to earn your trust and your friendship. Now the tables have turned and you don't like it. I'm not gonna apologize for that. And I'm not gonna apologize for tonight. You decided this, you made this happen. Now it's your turn to earn _my_ trust, and you're not gonna do it by dressing up or wearing heels. This isn't you, Elena. And that's all I've got to say about it. You can stay at the boarding house and I'll drive you home in the morning. I won't leave you alone out in the street at night.'

With those words he turned around and walked over to his car, not waiting for an answer from her. She hurried after him, arms crossed to keep warm. Her jacket had been stolen together with the bag, or so she thought anyway.

When settling in the car, Damon shrugged his jacket off.

'Here, put this on.' When she started protesting, he rolled his eyes at her. 'What? You can have my dick inside of you, but you can't wear my damn jacket?' He shook his head at her and left the jacket on her lap. 'Suite yourself, but I'd put it on if I were you. Wouldn't wanna catch a cold.'

* * *

**This was a hard chapter to write... Damon and Elena wanted to take their story one way, while I wanted to go another... and with the marvelous help of my friend, Angel6881, I managed to meet D&E half way. And this was the result. Thank you darling for the reaaaaally late night discussion! I needed it desperately...  
**

** I really have mixed feelings about this. And as you guys have had to wait for sooo long for me to update, I've been really scared to mess up. I do hope I didn't do too badly.**

**I'd also like to thank LoveEpicLove for keeping the faith in me :) And all you guys for your lovely reviews!  
**

**And I hope that you guys liked the little smut scene as well... As usual, reviews and comments are welcome!  
**

**Songs used:**

**-Jar of hearts - Christina Perri**

**-Poor young man's heart - Kristoffer Åström**

**-Can't let go - Landon Pigg**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I think we might be heading towards the end of the line now... This chapter might seem a bore, but I think it quite important to the story... :)**

**A lot of emotional drama...**

**Hope yous like it anyways... :D**

**There might be another 2 chapters to go. At least one more is in the making.**

**Enjoy!**

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* * *

**He could hear her stir in the guest room. He hadn't asked why, when she had walked straight past Stefan's room and into one of the many others, that had once held guests of the boarding house. He didn't really want to know. If this was another one of her little games to throw him off, he wasn't playing.

Zack had always managed the boarding house well, making sure the rooms were kept clean and dust free. And Stefan had taken over of sorts, after the… incident. Damon didn't like being reminded of what had happened to dear uncle Zack.

Anyways, Damon had left her there, knowing she would sleep in pristine sheets and with a large bath towel in sight.

He sighed and rolled over onto his back, stretching out to put his hands behind his head. He tried not to listen to Elena's movements. Tried not to listen for her breathing. Tried not to acknowledge the stirring in the pit of his stomach at the thought of her being so close to him; but still so far out of reach.

He had sworn to himself that he wouldn't let her get to him again, and that had failed epically. He cursed himself silently for letting it happen; having sex with Elena wasn't helping matters at all. It had had the complete opposite effect. He certainly couldn't stop thinking about her now. He had nearly succeeded for one week, causing havoc in the surrounding towns; hunting, compelling, feeding.

Everything; short of killing.

In brief moments he had managed to stop thinking of her, stop obsessing about her. But he had never stopped wanting her. And tonight, it was obvious the kind of hold she had over him. He couldn't even muster up strength enough to say no to her for one goddamn night. One look into the deep brown of her beautiful eyes, and he was turned into mush.

_Elena Gilbert_.

She should really mean nothing to him. She was a mere human, someone who had barely lived at all. And yet here he was, yearning for her.

He could hear her sigh. Tilting his head a fraction, he wondered what was on her mind right now. Probably holier than though, Stefan. She was so damn scared of hurting his feelings, and Damon couldn't understand why. Why was it ok to hurt _him_, Damon, but not poor Stefan? What was there about brother dearest that made women want to protect him? And who was going to take care of Damon's heart when it broke irreparably? Needless to say, it was each man to his own.

This is why Damon had always thought of himself first, and had never let anyone in, not since Katherine. This was the reason. Once again he was proven right. He shouldn't have listened to Elena when she had wanted him to be the better man. Turning him from evil to good.

Here was the thing; good men always finish last, while evil men succeed. And why is that?

Because evil men make damn sure to kill the good men off straight away, just as a precaution. No opposition, the bigger the win.

Stefan was the living (or should he be called undead) proof of this theory. Damon had let him live, and Stefan kept stealing his girl. And the girl in question kept wanting him to be the _weaker_ man, the _lesser_ man, when he could have ruled and conquered both his brother and her by now.

Damon had been evil personified for such a long time now, and what Elena had asked of him was proving too much by any means or form. And even though she was the one making the mistakes now, she was still asking this of him, and where was the fairness in that?

If good was what she wanted, it was Stefan she needed, not Damon. And it infuriated him to no end. He couldn't just change for her, not when this was part of who he was. Who was she to ask that of him? Who was she to think that he could ever change? And why was she even bothering, when it was quite obvious that she wasn't going to give Stefan up for him?

* * *

Elena couldn't sleep. Her heart was pounding hard and thoughts were flickering through her head with incredible speed, that she couldn't keep up with.

Had she wanted him to ask her why she had just walked past Stefan's room? Had she wanted him to ask her into his instead? Was he through playing games? Because that's what it felt like to her. She had thought that by teasing her senseless before and telling her that it was her turn to chase him; he had wanted to play a different game of cat and mouse. But obviously he had changed his mind without telling her. And why wouldn't he? She had treated him appallingly lately.

Elena felt better knowing there were no more games to be played; she really wasn't good at it. Obviously. As she had proven tonight.

She let out a deep sigh.

She couldn't stop asking herself the question over and over. What had she been thinking? This was Caroline's game. Not Elena's. And Damon had seen right through her.

She cringed.

What she should do is get up, and go home. But getting past a vampire, even a sleeping one, was near enough impossible. And even though Damon was fuming, he would never let her out of here tonight on her own.

Thing is, she knew full well why she had told him she couldn't go home. She had wanted to come here with him, no other reason. She could have called Jer to ask him to sneak her in the house. But she hadn't voiced it. She knew that Damon would give in to her.

Was it bad of her?

Of course it was, she knew as much. But desperate times calls for desperate measures. And she wanted to be close to him.

She looked towards the door, wondering what Damon was doing right now. He was probably fast asleep, or in the study drinking his standard glass of late night bourbon. No, probably asleep, she deduced. It was well after three in the morning, according to the large grandfather's clock on the far wall of the room. It was vaguely lit by the moon, which shone in through the windows, large and white and ominous.

Elena sat up. All those drinks had made her thirsty. She hesitated for the longest time before she decided that no matter if she might wake Damon, she desperately needed water. Her tongue felt as if it was stuck to the roof of her mouth.

Padding towards the stairs in a T-shirt Damon had casually thrown at her to sleep in, she tried to tippy toe as soundlessly as possible, not to wake the sleeping vampire further down the hall (quite the mission impossible). She was just a couple of steps from the large staircase when there was a gust of wind blowing past her and she found herself crashing into something tall and rock-hard and furious.

'Where do you think you're going?' Damon hissed at her. Elena shrieked and tried to jump back, but he grabbed her by her arms to keep her still.

'T-to drink water', she stuttered, her eyes flickering towards his face. Her heart was ever so slowly picking up the beat again.

'Oh,' his face fell and he let go of her arms. 'I thought…' He shook his head slowly while eyeing her appearance. 'I'll just let you get on with it, then.' He stepped aside to let her pass. She paused for a moment before she continued walking down the stairs.

She could feel his eyes on her the whole time, and her face turned pink, at the thought that just passed through her. Her lack of underwear. She was happy he was actually at the top of the stairs, and not waiting at the bottom, or he might have caught quite a sight. –Caroline! She was going to give her best friend a piece of her mind when she saw her next. And she vowed never, _ever_ to take boy-advice from her again.

* * *

Damon stood staring at the stairs long after Elena was gone.

At first he had thought she was going to try to leave the house, but when he realized her state of undress…

He was so screwed.

He had never seen anything as sexy in his whole life. Elena, wearing his old tee, with… well, _nothing_ underneath. His dick twitched at the thought, and he cursed his treacherous body, before heading back to his room, nearly slamming the door behind him in frustration. This girl, this demon-girl. This _angel_, was going to be the death of him.

He threw himself down on the bed and pulled a pillow over his head. Self-preservation, he thought to himself, while he lay there, still, trying not to think about her doe eyes and her soft skin. How he wished that being a vampire meant having a coffin and a tomb, or somewhere far beneath the surface of the earth to hide. He had seen _True_ _Blood_, he knew the deal.

Although, good as a coffin would have been right now, that would have meant never walking the earth during daylight, and since that would have sucked way too much, he settled on pretending that his vampire hearing did not perceive Elena's tiny feet right outside his door. He hummed an old tune to himself, in a last desperate attempt not to listen for her.

For every second that passed with her underneath his roof, he wanted to catch her in his arms and force the words from her lips. Force her to love him back. But he knew that was impossible, and without using compulsion, not likely to ever happen.

He was so caught up in his own thoughts that the sound behind him actually caught him off guard.

'Huh?' He sat up with the pillow in front of his chest.

'I said that I think we should talk. We're both awake anyways.' Elena looked too beautiful for words, with tousled hair, glass of water in hand and her left foot nervously tugging at the rug on the floor.

'There's nothing to talk about, Elena. You've been drinking and I'm tired. We both just need the rest. We can talk tomorrow.'

Her eyes lit up, and she actually looked, hopeful. Damon's brows furrowed in confusion. Why would she look happy at the thought of spending more time with him, when it should be Stefan? He cleared his throat and put the pillow back on the bed, realizing how silly he must look to her, hugging it to his chest. He meaningfully looked over at the door, but she didn't seem to get the hint. He needed her to leave, right now, or he might not ever let her go. Didn't she get that? Didn't she understand how dangerous it was for her, for _him_, to have her this close to him?

Elena took a step closer to the bed and leaned over to put the glass on the nightstand. She could see Damon's eyes following her every movement. She didn't want to have sex; she didn't want to try to trick him into anything. All she wanted was to know that it wasn't too late. She couldn't wait until the morning for him to reject her. She needed to know now.

Another step closer and she would be standing right next to him, if he hadn't vampire sped to the other side of the bed, leaving a king size space in between them.

'What are you doing?' he asked, with a hiss. Elena thought he sounded breathless for just a second, but the thought quickly passed. He was a vampire after all; he didn't need air to breathe.

She sank down on the bed, picking up the pillow he had just held and gently started stroking it with her hand.

'I just', she tried to choose her words wisely. She looked up at him and decided it was now or never. No more games. 'I've just missed you, is all. And I don't think I can go another day without seeing you.'

Damon swallowed hard. There must be something wrong with his hearing after all, because it sounded like she just said she missed him. He stared back at her with disbelief written all over his features.

'Could you repeat what you just said, cos I think I didn't hear you correctly', he whispered, trying not to let hope color his voice.

Elena smiled at him, her special enigmatic smile that always tore his insides apart.

'I said, that I miss you.'

'Don't.' He tried to say something else, but his voice broke. He looked devastated, not what Elena had been expecting. He was shaking his head, moving further away from the bed.

'_Damon?_' His name was a whisper passing her lips, a question searching answers. He held his hand up still shaking his head profusely.

'I thought this is what you wanted. I thought this is what you were asking me to do all this time. Why are you shutting me out?' She walked around to where he was standing, his back now nearly hitting the far wall. 'Why are you acting like this, Damon? You told me to come for you and I did. I'm trying to be honest with you. I'm trying to tell you…'

He cut her off with a roar at the back of his throat as he slammed into her, taking her breath away. She was yet again pinned against a wall by his hard chest. It seemed to be a running theme between the two of them.

'Please, Elena,' he moaned against her mouth. 'Don't say another word, I can't bear it. Don't get my hopes up. Don't make me promises I won't be able to hold you to.' His eyes were closed and his forehead rested against hers. His breathing was shallow and he absently caressed her face, her cheeks and her neck. 'Please, leave me alone.'

'I can't', Elena whispered back.

* * *

**I don't know about you, but I think that Damon will always be under the thumb when it comes to Elena, no matter how hard he tries to be the tough guy.**

**Let's just hope she doesn't trample his heart...**

**Reviews are always loved and welcomed. But I bet you knew that already. ;D**

**Song:**

**Love's to blame - Joel & Luke** - Check out my TVD vid to this song if you have time - YT URL - /watch?v=5DrOzz5h2cI

Or go to my channel - **lucas13oth**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Late as usual. My sincere apologies. My life is getting in the way a bit (being a single mum and all)...**

**I know some of you have been waiting eagerly asking me when the next update will be :) To you, I am so sorry... I will try to get updates more frequently,**

**but right now, they might be spaced apart a bit. But thank you so much for loving my stories that much.**

**My other story, Waking Up, will start up again when this story has come to an end...**

**I still don't know if there will be 2 more chapter to this story, or just one :) Let's see what Elena and Damon have to say about it, shall we? ;)**

* * *

'Please, Elena,' he moaned against her mouth. 'Don't say another word, I can't bear it. Don't get my hopes up. Don't make me promises I won't be able to hold you to.' His eyes were closed and his forehead rested against hers. His breathing was shallow and he absently caressed her face, her cheeks and her neck. 'Please, leave me alone.'

'I can't', Elena whispered back.

There was nothing between them but silence and Damon's elaborated breathing. She had caught him off guard and he didn't like it. Showing his vulnerability wasn't anything he was used to doing. And he was hurting so bad, it felt like a steel rod had been shoved through his body.

She had said it out loud, one of the things he had wanted to hear for so long, but… it somehow wasn't enough. The hole in his heart wasn't closing up, it was tearing open. Bit by bit. Slice by slice. He didn't have the strength to look at her, so he kept his eyes closed, leaning heavy against her. She had literally knocked the wind out of him.

'_Why are you doing this to me_?' His voice barely a whisper against her temple.

'Because I lo..' He stopped her then by putting his finger against her mouth. This time his eyes were dead on hers.

'You don't get to say those words to me, unless you mean them. No empty promises. No playing games. No regrets the day after. No Stefan. _Especially_ no Stefan. As long he's on your mind, as long as you still harbour any feelings for him, you are not allowed to come into _my_ life and shatter _my_ heart. Not for your own benefit or to ease your guilt. You understand me?'

His piercing blue eyes scorched her heart. They swallowed her whole; body and soul. He didn't seem to understand that she was already his; she had been for a long while now.

She nodded and he slowly let her go.

She had never seen him this vulnerable before, his emotions were written clearly on his face. She could have stopped him talking, she could have told him about Stefan and her decision. But something told her that if she did, he would clam up again, and she didn't want that. He needed to speak his mind. And she needed to hear him out. She owed it to him. He was hurting on so many levels, and even though she wanted to ease his pain, she knew that if he didn't speak now, he would never bring the issue up again. That was Damon. Pure and simple.

'I have waited so long for you. I have wanted you for such a long time. But, if you hurt me again. If you choose Stefan over me, I won't stay here. I will leave this time. And I won't come back.'

Damon took a step back, his eyes filled with sadness. He raised his hand to her face and absently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. The gesture was so loving and so _human_ that it nearly broke her heart. But he did it without being aware of doing it, as if it was something he did every day, and she loved him even more just because of it.

'You think about what I've said, Elena. You think about it real close. I've said it before and I'll say it again. If you give me what I want, I'll never let you go. I've made my promise. Now it's time for you to make yours.'

He walked past her and opened the door, avoiding to look at her.

'I think it best if we stay separate tonight. There might have been some unfairness before on my part. What you told me earlier, about not letting you think things through properly. Well, this is the time I'll give you. Until tomorrow.'

'I'm not leaving, Damon. '

He let out a sigh.

'I know you're not', he said in a tired voice. 'I'm the one with the car keys, remember?'

'No, what I meant was; I'm not leaving this room. I want to stay here, with you. I- I don't even have to stay in the bed with you; I could stay in the armchair. Just let me stay in here with you.'

Damon could hear the panic in her voice and he treasured it. It wrapped itself around his heart like a warm blanket. But he resolutely shook his head. He had meant what he said. He wanted to give her a proper chance to sort her head out. No more rash decisions. No more drama. No more guilt.

'You can stay in here for all you like, Elena, but I'm leaving.' He stalked back in the room to grab a shirt and a pair of jeans which had been casually dropped on the chair when he went to bed.

'Just don't drool on my pillows' he drawled as he headed out the door, not even bothering to look back at her.

Elena smiled after him, glad to see some of the old wisecrack Damon again. She hadn't totally broken him, which relaxed her a bit.

She looked around. She had only been in his room once before, when Rose was dying and now she took a proper look around.

He had a stack of books next to the armchair. Some of the classics; Shakespeare and Dickens. But also Sex for Dummies; 3rd edition. She giggled softly. Such a damonesque thing to own.

She let her finger lightly stroke the backs of the covers. She had had no idea that Damon was such a bookworm, and it made her go all gooey inside. He had so many hidden sides to himself that she couldn't wait to be part of.

It was actually ok that he had left her by herself. She did need some time to think. But not in the sense he thought. She knew she wanted him, she knew that it was over for good this time with Stefan. But she needed to think of a way, good enough for him to truly understand, that it was _him_ and only him that she wanted in her life. He was so stubborn, and insecure and disapproving of himself that it might be hard for her to convince him. He was an undiscovered treasure, which she longed to pry open and rummage through.

She grabbed a pair of his boxers from a drawer, thinking that he probably wouldn't mind her borrowing them. After all, he could have his dick inside of her…

She smiled again.

Falling back onto his bed, she hugged his pillow and breathed in his scent. There was no smell like his. It drew her in and held her captured. She was his prisoner and she didn't even mind.

Elena relaxed back on the pillows and closed her eyes. Just a bit of rest, and then she would figure out how to get Damon to understand that she belonged with him.

* * *

Damon couldn't find rest. No matter how many drinks he guzzled, no matter how many bags of blood he tossed down, there was nothing taking the edge of his emotions.

He knew what he needed. But he also knew that he shouldn't. And not because he didn't want to. But because of her, and that she wouldn't like it. But bad habits die hard.

He had to go hunting.

Damon grabbed for his jacket, glancing at the clock in the hallway. It was closing in on 4.30am; hardly anyone would be awake by now. It would be easy as hell for him, slipping in through a window or an open door of any motel in or outside of town. Maybe preying on some late night bar crawlers, but where was the fun in that? That was _too_ easy. The risk of getting caught is what was spurring him on. Maybe trick his way into some young girl's house while her parents were in bed asleep. No, not even that thought was exciting enough right now. But he needed the chase. The thrill of the terror and pain he could inflict.

There was a strange feeling of unease nudging at him, but he backhanded it right where it dared coming from. It's not as if she would choose him over his St Bernard of a brother anyways. And just because she was trying to lure him back into her web of doing good and being the better man and all that shit she was pulling, didn't mean he couldn't do what he did just a week ago when he had thought everything was lost forever. As long as he didn't kill anyone, right?

He made for the woods, knowing that it would take him less time to get where he wanted and for him to be less conspicuous on foot, than he would in his Chevy at stupid o'clock in the morning.

Suddenly he stopped. He would recognise that smell anywhere.

'Brother.' He said with a smirk. 'I know you're hiding. I can smell you, you know. I am, after all, a vampire.'

Stefan came out from the shadows, the full moon casting an eerie glow on his features, leaving his eyes in shadow.

'Where are you going, Damon? Thought you'd stopped drinking straight from the source.'

Damon's lip raised involuntarily at his brother's statement. Stefan was just one of those people who were born to rub you up the wrong way. And now he would be doing it for all of eternity. The price to pay for loving one's brother more than you hate him. You have to just let some things slide.

But not this time.

'Why do you care so much, Stefan? Shouldn't you just rejoice in the fact that I am as bad as you've always thought I was?'

If there was a time to pick a fight, this was it. Damon might just find this more appealing than drinking blood from some poor fool who forgot to lock their motel door. He hadn't fought Stefan for a very long time now. Not a proper fist up anyways. And tonight, he was itching for it.

But Stefan's next words left him speechless and the dark cloud of fury that had surrounded him, scattered like mist in the wind.

'What are you doing out here, when she's in your room waiting for you?'

Damon stood frozen for a split second before he tried his trademark grin, but it wouldn't stick on properly. There was a loud buzz in his head preventing him to think clearly.

'I don't know what you're…' he quieted when Stefan held his hand up.

'I've been outside all night figuring you two would work things out, but it's obvious to me that you really _are_ too stubborn to hear her out.'

Stefan's eyes shone green through the dark. His perpetually furrowed brows somehow just managed to make Damon more uncomfortable than agitated. He didn't know what to say. And there weren't many times that Damon Salvatore was rendered speechless.

Damon glanced up towards his bedroom window. There was a faint glow from his bedside lamp. He knew she was still in there. If he concentrated hard enough, he could hear her steady breaths, telling him she was fast asleep. In his bed. With Stefan just standing here, calm and composed.

He took a look around.

What kind of sick alternate universe had he stepped out into?

'Let's go back inside,' Stefan said, patting his shoulder as he walked past him towards the house. Damon hesitated for a moment before he followed his brother, albeit reluctantly.

He still didn't understand. How could Stefan know that Elena was in his room? And why would he know? And more to the point, why wasn't he kicking Damon's sorry ass because of it?

The only thing stopping Damon from asking this out loud, was his pride.

* * *

**My guess is that there will be some sort of brotherly talk... but will Damon chicken out in the end?**

**Song: Exit Wounds by The Script**

**Feel free to visit my youtube channel: youtubeURL /user/deviousdramaqueen (new channel) and watch my Damon & Elena video with this song :)  
**


	9. Chapter 9

The silence wasn't uncomfortable as the brothers were sitting next to each other looking into the open fire that Stefan had just started up. Of course, there was an elephant trying to squeeze itself through the doors of the library, but somehow it didn't quite succeed.

Damon had poured them both a whiskey, and didn't even raise a brow as Stefan downed his in one before getting another. Damon merely shrugged his shoulders and leaned back casually sipping his drink.

And now, here they were, both contemplating the sleeping beauty upstairs, wondering how to get past this hurdle without once and for all screwing up the thin layer of peace they had finally managed to build between them.

'So how _did_ little brother find out that there is something going on with his big brother and the girl that he loves?' Stefan finally broke the silence. The sarcasm wasn't lost on Damon as he looked over at him, before quickly turning to face the orange flames licking the insides of the large fireplace again.

Stefan moved so he faced his brother.

'How could I let myself believe that there was nothing going on between the two of you for so long, when it was quite obvious, in hindsight, that there has always been something there?'

Damon flinched at the words and he closed his eyes for a second before meeting Stefan's emerald gaze.

'I thought you'd given her up.' Stefan continued when Damon stayed silent. 'I thought you'd moved on.'

A shadow of confusion flittered across Damon's face at this.

'The necklace.' Stefan looked down at tumbler in his hands. 'How else would she have gotten her necklace back after Elijah threw it away, if it wasn't for you? Cause it sure as hell wasn't me.'

The steely tone in Stefan's voice made Damon swallow hard.

'After that night, it was as if you were a new person. You stopped pursuing Elena all of a sudden. You met Rose and you moved on, I was sure of it. I thought you'd given up the thought of Elena. But I guess in my selfishness I was blinded.'

Stefan stayed quiet for a while before continuing.

'Did you know that Katherine told me that she never compelled my love? She says that all she did was compelling me to forget about her taking my blood and her being a vampire.'

Stefan looked up at Damon again. His eyes as hard as his voice.

'Have you ever compelled Elena? And I need you to tell me the truth.'

Damon opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again. He started shaking his head before letting out a deep sigh.

'Yes.' His voice was barely audible in the large space. But Stefan heard him perfectly fine. His head snapped up in attention.

'You… compelled her?' Stefan growled.

'It's not what you think. I didn't compel her to want me. I…' His jaw clenched. 'I compelled her to forget that I told her I loved her.'

Damon met his brother's eyes squarely.

'I told her I loved her that night. I told her that I didn't deserve her. I told her I'd give her up, for her and for you. And then I compelled her to forget I'd ever said it. I didn't want that burden on her shoulders.'

Damon stood up and started pacing the room. The guilt was eating him up and it was easier to switch on to anger than humility. He couldn't stand the look of pity mixed with disgust on Stefan's face.

'Does that satisfy you, _dear brother_. The fact that I compelled her? Or the fact that I was _human_ enough to care?'

The look of surprise on Stefan's face was almost comical. In any other circumstance Damon would have laughed at him. But not now.

He stopped mid-pace and turned to Stefan. They both knew the girl they loved was upstairs asleep. They both knew that in the end whatever and whoever she chose, they would stick to her decision. They would never force her to change her mind. But would they be able to co-exist, Damon and Stefan together? Would Stefan be able to forgive him for taking Elena from him?

Knowing that he himself hadn't been able to forgive Stefan for Katherine, he knew that forgiveness wasn't something easily handed out in a blink of an eye. Especially knowing that they had all of eternity if they wished to argue it out. Did he want to lose Stefan again? They had been good friends once, the _best_ of friends even. And in the last year they had started getting back to that, and Damon valued it. Was it worth the love of a girl? He'd given her up for Stefan once, but that was before he'd known how she felt, or rather, what he thought she felt. Could he do it again? _Would_ he do it again?

The anger evaporated as soon as it had showed up. Stefan was standing up by now, having felt Damon's animosity. They were staring each other down, unblinking, unyielding. Had Elena been awake, she'd have been standing in between them right now, hands up defensively like so many times before, trying to shield them from each other. But this time, it felt differently. They could both sense it.

Minutes ticked past, but eventually, Stefan's shoulders slouched in defeat. His eyes flickered to the floor and then towards the door.

'I should leave, let you two work things out. There is nothing left for us to say to each other anyway. She's not a prize to be handed out; she's worth more than that. And I'm not going to stay here to let her think that she is. There are no winners here.'

He looked over at Damon, sadness and acceptance written all over his face.

'Promise me you won't hurt her. Promise me that you'll take care of her, protect her. She's…'

Damon stopped him.

'…not who you think she is. She's strong and capable.'

Stefan smiled ruefully.

'I guess I haven't given you enough credit when it comes to Elena.'

There was a tense moment of air standing still, no sounds made. Two brothers trying to come to terms with what could change their relationship forever.

'Then promise me you won't leave, Stefan,' Damon said eventually. 'I'd miss your brooding too much.' He smirked at Stefan, wiggling his brows. Stefan gave him a small smile, but shook his head.

'I can't make you any promises, Damon. I love her too much right now to see her with anyone else, whoever it might have been. It just makes it harder that it's you. And she deserves to be happy, knowing that she doesn't have to think of me or my feelings. We both know Elena. She'd be miserable.'

Damon laughed. But it was tinged with bitterness.

'What if I said I want you here, Stefan? What if I told you that I couldn't lose you again? What if I told you that having my little brother in my life is worth more than anything else? What if I gave her up, for you?' He took a step closer to Stefan, eager to make him understand that he would never do anything to hurt him.

'I've done it before. I could do it again. I've made it into a work of art, loving but not actually reaping the benefits of the love I've sowed.' The slight sarcasm was tangible in his voice. The only thing missing was the eye roll that was classic Damon by now.

Stefan took a single step closer to him, and grabbed him by the back of the neck and forced Damon nearer to him, their foreheads almost touching.

'Don't you dare break her heart, Damon. She's just given up a lot for you. She told me she loves you, that it's you that she wants. Don't disappoint her, and don't disappoint me. If you do, I'll hunt you down and I'll break you. _That_ I can promise you right here and now.'

He let go of Damon's neck and moved away swiftly.

'I'm leaving you to it now. I might be back later. Remember what I said; don't disappoint her, Damon.'

With those words he was gone, and a chill went through Damon's body. He wasn't ready to lose Stefan, not now. He looked up to the ceiling, listening to the flutter of the steady heartbeat from upstairs. But he wasn't ready to lose _her_ either. He hadn't thought any of this through before, not really. He hadn't wanted to think of it. All that had been on his mind had been Elena and his own feelings. He hadn't spared Stefan a second thought.

He knew that she had decided which one of the brothers she wanted. But in the end, he had just now realized; it was _his_ choice to decide on the happiness or unhappiness for two of the people he loved more than life itself; Stefan and Elena.

Stefan _or_ Elena.

Was he ready to make that choice at all?

* * *

**Thank you for all of your lovely reviews... I cherish them all, I promise... :)**

**There is one last chapter remaining. I felt I had to give the brothers their own ending, and understanding of each other... without hopefully ruining the trust and the love that they both obviously feel towards one another.**

**I've loved writing this story, and I'm gonna miss it like crazy... haha**

**Vic x**


	10. Chapter 10

**This update is long overdue… and I send my sincere apologies to you all, and I'm thanking you all for your patience… your support has been amazing!**

**As usual, I do not own Vampire Diaries or any of the characters.**

**Last chapter... *cries*  
**

* * *

The silence wrapped around him like a thick blanket after Stefan's departure. Damon couldn't tell how long he'd been sitting looking into the crackling fireplace before he sighed and heaved himself out of the armchair and headed for the stairs.

He sat down carefully next to her on the bed and drank her in. Her hair spilled out over his pillow, looking silky soft. All he wanted was to lie down next to her and breathe her in, but he didn't want to wake her.

There was a feeling of regret rooting itself in his chest, things he wished he'd have said and done by now. Things he shouldn't have said or done at all.

If he got the girl, he'd lose his brother. And he couldn't live with that.

But if he kept his brother, he'd lose the girl. And he knew, in his heart of hearts, that that wasn't a choice he could ever survive.

He rubbed a hand over his face in frustration and felt the pent up anger come rushing through him like a freight train. How in the hell did he ever get into this mess anyway? How did it ever go from him being the one cast to the side, standing at the sidelines watching his brother going after and getting the dream, to _living_ that dream himself? This wasn't how it was supposed to go. This wasn't the way.

Damon Salvatore didn't do happy and he didn't do relationships. He'd mess it up for sure and they'd all be miserable. He should just give up now and let it go. Let them both go. They'd survive without him. They'd have each other. They'd be happier in the end, and they all knew it.

This would be for the best.

She would continue living her life as a human. Stefan would be here to protect her from whatever evils around. Bonnie and Caroline would help out.

He stood up.

And got a fucking Shakespeare speech going through his head.

"Eyes, look your last! Arms, take your last embrace!"

_Shit. _

Why'd he have to go all Di Caprio now? It wasn't as if he hadn't had to walk out on someone before. Hell, he'd made it one of his trademarks about a century and a half ago. It's what he did.

Does. It's what he _does_.

_Right._

He started marching towards the door, but swerved around to look at her. And his heart hurt.

His heart fucking _hurt_.

It hurt so bad his knees nearly buckled underneath him.

He took one step closer to her, but stopped himself. If he stayed he would find some way to screw things up and he knew it. He would end up hurting her, which inevitably would hurt him.

And then Stefan would have to get involved and Damon would have to hurt _him_, which would hurt Elena, which would….

_What the hell?_

Turn.

Door.

_Now._

That's when he heard her voice, all quiet and sleepy.

'Damon? You came back.'

She sounded so happy he couldn't just well walk out on her now.

He met her gaze. She had this cute smile on, the one she normally only reserved Stefan or her friends. But there she was, in his bed, firing off that unique smile at him and, shit, if he didn't feel it right down to his toes and back again.

The anger slowly evaporated from his body and against his better judgment he could feel himself relax and sit down on the bed next to her. The power she held over him was that strong, and he knew he'd regret this later, but he couldn't just leave her. Not like this.

'Yes', he whispered and gently swiped her hair out of her eyes and tucked it behind her ear. 'I came back.'

She scooted back a bit against the pillows a little, before taking his hand in hers.

'I'm glad you did.'

Damon glanced at their interlaced hands, before pulling away from her. She looked up at him, startled.

'Look, Elena. It was never going to work.' He avoided looking at her. 'I'd just do something to hurt you in the end, we both know that. I've been stupid thinking that we could ever work. I…' Elena's fingers gently covered his mouth.

'If you say one more word, you stupid vampire, I might have to vervain your ass and lock you in the basement. Cause right now, I think that might be all you deserve.'

Damon blinked in surprise. Elena smirked at him.

'I knew you'd try something like this. I know you, Damon. But you said it yourself; no regrets. And I was acting childishly, and I deserved your anger. But don't tell me we can't work because of you, cause that's a lie and you know it.'

Again, she took his hand, stroking the back of it, making him tingle all over.

'You've told me time and time again that you're not letting me go. Well, tough. I'm not letting _you_ go either. This is what we do. This is who we are. We fight like hell and then we make up. That won't ever change, you know, and I wouldn't want that to change either. This is what I love about us and I just wish you could see that.'

Damon opened his mouth, but closed it again when he realized he had nothing to say to that. No defense at all.

'Now, I'm going to get myself ready so I feel human again, and until then, you're not moving an inch.'

With that, Elena climbed out of the bed and grabbed a towel from one of the drawers. She turned to face him while taking her necklace off.

'I'm not joking around, Damon. You're not to leave this room.' She put the necklace down on the bedside table. 'When I get back we'll talk.'

She walked into the shower room and eased out of his T-shirt. Damon tried to look away but couldn't. He wasn't exactly complaining about the view. He settled back on the bed, watching the water pour over her slim frame. She had her eyes closed and a slight smile on her face, like she knew he was watching. As if she could read his mind, she looked over at him.

'Wanna join in?' she whispered quietly. Human ears wouldn't have heard her words, but she knew he could. A jolt of electricity went through him, at the wicked expression on her face. For a moment he thought she was Katherine, playing with his head, but he could hear her heartbeat. He could see the steady pulsing on her neck, proving that it was Elena.

He shook his head at her and for a moment he could see disappointment shadow her beautiful features. He clenched his jaw.

He was doing it already, he was hurting her.

Then she smiled at him again and started walking towards him, water sliding down her naked breasts and belly, making his dick twitch in anticipation. She closed in on him and he shifted awkwardly on the bed. There were small puddles of water on the floor, which he usually would have whined about, had it been anyone else. But his eyes were firmly placed on Elena. His mind had ground to a halt.

Elena reached down and grabbed his hands and without any effort at all she had him standing in front of her, while she started unbuttoning his shirt.

'What are you doing? His question was all but a groan.

'I wanted you to join me, and I was doing the polite thing by asking. But since you wouldn't comply...' She looked up at him with a grin on her face. 'I had to come and get you.'

His shirt fell to the floor and she was working on his trousers.

'We shouldn't be doing this', Damon tried, but the look on her face made him quiet and he pressed his lips together. 'We need to talk. There are things we need to sort out, things that need to be said before we…'

'We can talk later,' she interrupted with a purr. 'Let's get in the shower.' Her hands pulled him closer and he stumbled slightly. He felt weirdly off kilter.

The Elena he knew was never this pushy. But then he remembered the night at the bar where she'd tried to seduce him and ending up getting wasted and jealous. Maybe this was the real Elena, the Elena before her parents died and she'd found out she was the sacrificial lamb of an ancient vampire.

Her giggle sent him right back to the reality of it and he stared down at her beautiful features framed by her hair hanging in wet clusters around her face. Her lips were slightly parted and glistening with a few drops of water.

That was the last of his resolve. When was he ever the emotional one? The one to say no to a butt naked girl? The girl his dreams were made of?

_Sheesh. _

He pulled off his boxers and socks and pulled Elena towards the shower. She giggled and held on to his hand hard.

Elena felt ice cold against his warm chest. Her lips were turning bluish from getting out of the shower while wet and he couldn't resist kissing them lightly as they let the hot water run over their naked bodies. Steam surrounded them and blurred their features.

They stood pressed hard against each other and he felt her nipples rubbing against him in the most delicate manner. He kissed along her jaw and neck. Stopping slightly to let his tongue slide along the luscious vein pulsing hard and fast, singing to him to taste it.

Leaving a trail of chaste kisses he moved very slowly towards her cleavage. He took her dark brown nipple in his mouth and savored the taste of her. Elena's breathing came to a stop as he swirled his tongue around her, finishing off with a light bite of his blunt teeth. He gave her other breast equal attention before sliding his hands over her slick body while standing back up.

Elena grabbed his neck and pulled him towards her in a kiss that made tiny multicolored dots dance before his eyes. Her leg slid up around his waist and he wasted no time in lifting her up against the wall of the shower, her legs snugly wound around him.

'I need you inside of me', she whispered as she sneaked her hand between their bodies to guide him to her warmth. He whimpered as her tight heat enclosed him and he stood still for a moment to just relish the feel of her. Their eyes met and she held his gaze as he gently started moving his length deeper in side of her to fill her up fully.

Damon moved in to kiss her, but she stopped him.

'Don't, not yet. I want to look at you,' she said her eyes holding him in place. A wave of emotions that Damon was unable to define flashed over Elena's face when he slowly nodded and they started moving in unison, matching each other's movements.

Elena's sighed and her lashes fluttered when Damon found her sweet spot and she tightened around him making his breathing slightly uncontrolled. But she never let go of his eyes and he never looked away.

'I want you to get inside my head.' Elena's voice was shaking a little and he didn't know if it was due to their making love or nerves, or maybe a little bit of both. He shook his head at her, he wouldn't do that. He wouldn't compel her or make her do anything she didn't want.

'I know you can get into my mind. I know you can find out how I truly feel by getting inside my head.' Her eyes looked feverish and her face flushed. 'I need you to do it so you'll never forget how I feel and how you make me feel.' There was a vulnerability to her he hadn't seen before. He stopped moving and she made a noise of annoyance which he kind of enjoyed hearing.

'Don't stop,' she moaned and pushed herself against him, digging her nails hard in his neck. He hissed at her, but complied. Mostly because her playing a little rough turned him on to no end, but also her begging him for more nearly threw his restraint out of the window. Elena bit her bottom lip as his length moved as deep inside of her as it could; he started going faster, her breathing matching his every stroke.

She was driving him crazy.

'I trust you,' she gasped. Her eyes were searching his and he knew what was coming before she said it, he knew and he didn't stop her because he knew this was the perfect time to hear it.

'I love you, Damon.'

And the world ground to a halt. Time stopped. There was no air, no heaven, no stars.

Only her.

With a growl close to a whimper his lips crashed down on hers and he grabbed her hard while pounding inside of her hard and relentless. In between kisses he heard her whisper.

'Do it, Damon. Just do it.'

So he did.

Her mind was like a glimmer of warmth and humidity. And a love that was so strong it literally made him dizzy with joy and relief. He forged his way deeper inside her head and felt her thoughts wrap themselves around him, pulling him closer.

He felt his face shift and her thinking; '_yes'_, with absolute conviction.

He bit down on her neck while thrusting inside of her with a force that she would be sure to feel in a few hours, but her mind was spurring him on and he drank deeply while feeling her walls constrict spastically around him and her brain go numb as their orgasm reached them both.

'Oh my god,' he gasped as they held on to each other while the tremors subsided. Damon leaned heavily against the walls of the shower, his legs weakened by sex for the first time in both his lives; undead and living. Elena slid down his body to stand, holding on to his neck, their foreheads touching.

As their breathing returned to normal they looked at each other and smiled. Elena touched his lips gently and he took her finger in his mouth and bit down carefully with blunt teeth.

'Well, that was a first,' he said sheepishly. He felt strangely calm, in a way he wasn't used to feeling.

'Same here,' she answered with a blush. She reached for the soap and started lathering him down, and then gave it to him as a sign for him to give her the same treatment.

They were quiet, but it was a good kind of quiet. Damon liked the feel of it, the closeness and the comfort it gave him.

'Where did you find out I could reach your mind like that?' he asked eventually as he switched the shower off and grabbed a towel to dry them off. He gave Elena his bathrobe while he wrapped a new dry towel around his waist. He tried not to get the images of Stefan and Elena trying this out on each other, but they wouldn't go away.

'Jeremy told me that he and Anna had experimented once or twice and it had worked.'

The relief must have been apparent on his face, because she took his hand in hers and kissed it gently. She didn't say anything, she didn't need to. Damon knew that his brother hadn't touched her inner thoughts at all, not in the way he just had and it soothed him.

They lay down opposite each other on the bed and Damon covered her with a quilt to keep her warm. For a long while they were only looking at each other, playing with each other's hands.

Elena was the first to break the silence.

'So, were you going to leave without saying goodbye?'

Damon swallowed hard.

'Yes, but I changed my mind.'

'Are you still thinking of leaving?'

She looked him straight in the eyes. He met them squarely.

'No.'

She looked relieved, and then her features hardened.

'Will you give up on us when things get tough, cause they will? We're gonna argue like mad, you know that right. We're gonna disagree and we're gonna hate on each other, but we're gonna make it if you let us.'

Damon smiled.

'If I'm in, I'm in it for the long haul.'

Elena blushed.

'I might not ever want to turn, Damon. I think you should know that.'

Damon nodded, he'd felt it when he'd entered her mind. The love she felt, but also the fear of turning. The fear of losing him if she told him. The stubborn thoughts of making him understand her point of view, if he'd refuse to see her side of things.

Damon reached out to touch her cheek.

'I've got an entire lifetime to wait, and then some. I'm in no hurry. And even if you'd never want to, I'd live my life with you for as long as you'd want me in it. I'm yours, Elena. I'm never letting you go, remember.'

It was a statement of fact, but she still nodded.

'I love you, Elena. I always will. Whatever will happen now, I'm not going anywhere.'

He sighed.

'Now it's just the matter of Stefan.' Elena flinched, but it was time to grab the bull by its horns, so to speak. Damon knew from experience there was no need bullshitting around the fact that Stefan was a big part of both their lives and they all had to adjust to it.

Damon shifted so he was hovering above Elena. He bent down to kiss her. It was a long and passionate kiss. He only let her go when she needed air to breathe again. She met his gaze with cloudy eyes.

'I'm going to get him to stay. You'd hurt too much not having him in your life, no matter what that stubborn ass says. And I need him too.' Damon shook his head ruefully. 'I've treated him like shit for such a long time now; it's time I make up for it. I can't lose either of you, and if that means I have to chase him down for a while…'

Elena finished his sentence.

'I'll be here waiting.'

Damon smirked down at her, loosening the robe around her.

'That's all I wanted to hear, but till then… I'm gonna have to ravish you again… and again… and again.'

Elena's giggle was soon stifled by Damon's roaming tongue and he threw the cover over them to make good on his plans for them for at least the next couple of hours.

_**The End.**_

* * *

**Thank you guys for your patience. I'm going to try to promise the other updates on Bewildered & Betwitched and Waking Up won't take as long.**

**I've loved writing this fic. I'm missing it already… Huge thanks to BadBoysAreBest and AngelEyes1505 for kind words, getting me to finish this story once and for all…**


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